The Hunter's Oath
by Thomas A. Hawk
Summary: York is a hunter living in the currently developing Moga Village. With the help of his friends, he must stop a shadowy organization from seizing control of the world, and come to terms with his dark past. At least, if he doesn't go bankrupt first.
1. Chapter 1-Awakening

_Hello, reader! Thanks for deciding to view this. I just decided to write this, mainly just for fun._ _Basically, this is what happens when I throw a bunch of other ideas and game items into the world of Monster Hunter. It isn't a crossover, per se, but expect some references to other games along the way. I'm open to criticism, of course, so anything you have to say, I'll listen to. Enjoy!_

The Hunter's Oath

Chapter 1-Awakening

_York bolted upright, noticing something was off. He normally wasn't one to fall asleep in the middle of a field, especially without his weapons or armor. Slowly getting to his feet, York surveyed his surroundings. The sky filled with smoke, originating from somewhere over a large hill. Running up the incline, York was shocked at what he saw; a village on the sea, or at least what was left of it. Searing flames danced along the remains of wooden docks and ships. Splintered remains of homes and shops drifted in the sea, which was dyed a dark shade of red. York new all too well that the sea was filled with blood. Suddenly, a loud voice, seemingly from everywhere, boomed across the land._

_ "You see now what lies in the future," the powerful voice said. "This will come to pass, if you do not accept." "Accept what!?" York shouted back, confused. "What do I need to do!?" "You need to awaken as the hero this land needs you to be," the voice replied, with a vibrating echo. "You need to wake up."_

WAKE UP! This was what York heard just before the loud crash of metal banging on metal right next to his head. With a start, he jolted back, letting out a short yelp as the chair he had been in flipped over backwards, spilling his half-awake body onto the hardwood floor. He looked up at the source of this rude awakening, a sly grin on her face.

"You know, you really didn't have to do that, Rose," York sleepily said, noting the pots she was holding. "But I did!" She replied. "I've been trying to get you up for a half hour now! If you hadn't stayed up so late working on that armor of yours, I wouldn't have had to," Rose said playfully. "I seem to recall you helping me get most of the things I needed to make this in the first place," York said in a similar tone. "Besides, it's not like you didn't get anything out of it either."

She giggled at that, recalling the hunts she had gone on with him over the past few weeks. Despite the teasing, she really did appreciate the rewards she got herself. "Barioth armor isn't exactly easy to make you know," York said as he began to sit up. "Trying to upgrade that bow of yours wasn't much better." "Well, I do appreciate that you upheld your end of the bargain, York," she laughed.

"Well, considering I had no other options but to accept, I will take that as a thank you," York said sarcastically. "Well good, because that's just what I was about to say!" Rose teased. "To be fair though, what can you expect? I still don't exactly trust blacksmiths, you know. Plus, you're much better than the crafters around here." "And you know I can't resist a pretty face, either!" York said.

York wasn't kidding. Rose had a smooth, curvy figure and an ample bosom. She was well toned, but that was to be expected considering her profession. She had bright green eyes and medium length brown hair, which she usually had in a ponytail. She stood about a head shorter than York, and was almost always cheery.

"Why York, I'm flattered!" she responded in her playful tone. "Well, come on, get up and get ready. I'd like to gather some materials while the sun is still out!" "Wait, how long did I sleep in?" York asked, losing his sarcastic tone. "It's already the afternoon, sleepyhead!" Rose stated. "I'm going to grab a few things from my room, so get ready while I'm doing that. Come on; wake up tough guy! You wanted to try out that new armor you made, right?"

Stretching as he got up from the floor, York went to the kitchen and washed off his face. He checked the mirror to make sure he was somewhat presentable; his messy brown hair always seemed to keep its style, no matter what. His clear blue eyes held a determined look almost constantly, and he had a sharp jawline. A single scar crossed over his right eye, a testament to the numerous battles he had survived.

He then took a look around the room he called his workshop. In actuality, it was really the living room to the house he lived in, but when you're known as the craftiest hunter who ever lived, you need to have some space to work. York's gaze fell to the table he that he had been sleeping on a few moments ago, and the bundle of white that lay upon it. He chuckled to himself as he thought, "_It's finally done."_


	2. Chapter 2- Trial and Error

Chapter 2-Trial and Error

Rose giggled to herself as she went up the stairs. These kinds of exchanges were frequent, and they always put her in a good mood. Rose was one of the few people who understood York's rather sarcastic personality. She was also one of the few people he actually opened up to, and that's saying something. Almost no one even knew what village he was from. "_Ever since we graduated from the Hunter's Academy, it's been like this,"_ she thought. "_And I couldn't find it more fun!" _After grabbing the rest of the things she would need for the trip into the woods, she went back downstairs. She gasped when she saw York clothed in his new armor.

White robes made from Barioth pelt covered most of his upper body, and a peaked hood was up on his head. The robes in the backend branched into two coat tails, each ending with a curve towards each other. Azure scales were woven between the layers for added protection, and jutted out neatly at the end of the robes. A belt reached diagonally across his torso, holding both the hunter's pack and dual swords firmly in place behind his right shoulder. A simple brown leather gauntlet covered his right arm, while the left had a steel bracer attached. The white sleeves of the robes tucked into the gauntlets somewhat loosely, and broadened York's figure at the shoulders. Brown padded pants tucked into the leather boots he wore. At his waist hung a short axe made from carbalite ore.

"What took you so long, Rose?" York said with a slight grin while pulling back his hood. For some reason, he always managed to get ready faster than her. "I swear, one of these days I'm going to find out how you manage to change in and out of your armor so fast!" Rose said. "Well, I'm pretty sure that'll be a fun day for us both," York chuckled.

"How is that armor actually going to be effective, though? It looks kinda… thin." Rose observed. "Outward appearances can be deceiving, dear Rose. I feel that in the seven years you've known me, you would have picked up on that," Nick said with a bit of flourish. "I used Azure Rathalos and Lagiacrus scales between the Barioth pelt and Royal Ludroth sponge layer. This keeps it light, comfortable, and pretty strong. Thankfully, it's still flexible enough to make movement easy."

"I have to admit, that is really cool," Rose stated, and she meant it. York had been working like hell to make the armor, and it showed. "Well then, let's be off!" York said, heading for their front door.

The two stepped out into the bright midafternoon sun. Moga village always had nice weather, and today was no exception. It was a pleasant temperature, and the sound of waves beneath the wooden ground that held the village above the sea was as calming as ever.

Ever since the Champion of Moga drove off the elder dragon that had threatened Moga a few years ago, the small fishing village really began to prosper. The Guild, realizing the potential value Moga had to offer, immediately helped spread the word of the small village around. Merchants, traders, and many business owners flocked to the village after the flood of hunters coming in paved the way for immense profit. Moga also served as an effective point for hunters looking to make it big themselves, with a large number of hunting grounds within a two or three day boat ride. In order to make room for all the new inhabitants, the natives and their new neighbors had to begin constructing closer and closer to the shore of the island it was attached to. Pretty soon, Moga grew to such a size that 'village' seems an inappropriate name for the bustling community it had become. York and Rose had arrived along with many others looking to join in the "Moga Boom" as it was (ridiculously) called.

Of course, like many others, this meant that they had to build their own home on the water. Thankfully, York was good at this sort of thing, but was eventually forced to make the small room he set aside for his work into his bedroom, as Rose promptly took ownership of the rather luxurious room he made almost immediately upon entering.

The hunters walked past the large central market, where vendors and merchants sold all sorts of wares from fish to large monster bones. Heading through some of the crowded streets, the two eventually made it to the long bridge connecting the village to the island. Because of the abundance of resources, hunters could come and go freely between the village and the island, part of why so many hunters had begun to arrive. Veterans and rookies alike flocked to prospect of being able to test their mettle against the ferocious monsters that lived there. These "free hunts" were also free from the constraints of Guild-sponsored quests, which many hunters found to be more enjoyable to the daily grind of delivering mushrooms and eggs within a short timeframe.

"So, what should we get first?" York asked as they arrived at the woods. "Well, I think we should take a look around for some extra honey. I ran out again when I was making potions," Rose sighed.

"I told you to save some so we could get the farm to harvest more. Now you see what happens when you forget what I tell you," York jokingly stated. Lightly punching his arm, Rose and York teasingly argued for the beginning of their travels. After about a half hour of the snarky banter, York stopped his partner as he noticed a small number of Kelbi by a stream. "I think I could use a few horns. Mind helping me take a few down?"

Rose's response was to draw her bow. Notching three arrows onto the string, she launched all three at the Kelbi. Each arrow found its mark, dropping three of the Kelbi before the others fled. "Damn," York whistled. "You want to know how I change my clothes so fast, and I want to know how the hell you manage to pull off shots like that." Rose giggled at the praise he gave her.

It wasn't too long, however, before the two ran into a pack of Jaggi. Drawing his dual swords, York effortlessly danced through the carnivores, slicing at a speed faster than most could follow. Rose shot the occasional arrow into the group with unmatched precision, but mostly left the pack to York. He had wanted to test his new armor, after all.

Despite a few the few hits she had seen him take, Rose knew how pleased York was when he returned to her position with a wild grin on his face. "Looks like the effort was worth it! I barely felt a thing!" he exclaimed rather victoriously.

"Well, Jaggi aren't exactly the most dangerous creatures we've fought. To be honest, they're pretty wimpy," Rose stated, knowing that York would respond with another snarky comment.

Before he could say whatever that was, a Great Jaggi came stomping into the field the two hunters had been in, and roared into the sky. Turning to the new threat, York drew his swords and Rose notched an arrow. "Well, I guess that's a step up from these ankle biters," he said. Several more Jaggi had come in response to their pack leader's call, and were eyeing the two hunters hungrily. With another roar, the pack began racing towards the two. York ducked as the pack leader's tail swung towards him. Rose backed up a few feet, firing arrows at the pack of carnivores.

York slashed the Great Jaggi's underbelly several times before rolling out from beneath the beast. They were light wounds, but they clearly caused quite a bit of pain. With an angry roar, the pack leader threw all its weight into a side tackle aimed at York. Instead of dodging, though, he instead took the full impact from the attack, and was sent reeling. He was back on his feet almost immediately.

"Well, that proves it. The armor works," York said to himself. He charged at the Great Jaggi, side stepping as it lunged towards him. Not missing a beat, he thrust his left hand sword clean through the pack leader's jaw, and through its skull with the right. York pulled both swords from the lifeless body before it fell to the ground.

Rose had just finished off the last of the small carnivores as well, and quickly ran over. "I saw you get hit. Are you okay?" She asked. "Never better," he laughed. "So, that proves what I said earlier. The armor was definitely worth the effort."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," Rose said with a mischievous grin. "What's with the look?" York asked.

"Well, it just so happens that we just killed our hundredth Great Jaggi! And you know the rules; tonight, we celebrate!" Rose gleefully proclaimed. A look of genuine shock appeared on York's face. "Wait, you actually kept count?! Crap, I was hoping everyone would forget about that!"

Rose laughed at the dumbfounded look on her partners face. "Nope, and you know the common courtesy is for the guy to treat everyone, right?" she added.

"…You really enjoy making me spend all my money, don't you?" York said, slightly exasperated. "All right, let's go. May as well start the party early."

"Oh come on, York. It won't be that bad!" she said. "What's wrong with one night of sitting around drinking and telling stories with friends?"

"Well, for one the impact treating everyone is going to have on my wallet. Also, most of the time we end up going to the tavern for a drink I end up having to carry you back home because you can't hold more than half a tankard before passing out." York said.

"Hey, I can't help it! I just can't tolerate alcohol," she said. York kept going, though.

"Plus, in the way of story-telling, you know just exactly which one everyone wants to hear and it also happens to be the one I don't like to tell." His tone was darker than it had been, and Rose understood why. That wasn't a particularly fond memory for either of them.

"Well, we can just treat everyone to a round before heading off," she said. "And I'll try not to pass out this time!" "Please do, we get enough looks just walking next to each other as is."


	3. Chapter 3-Recollection

-Recollection

The tavern wasn't extremely busy when York and Rose entered. About a dozen or so hunters sat at the tables, talking and laughing with their companions. "Hey, York! Rose! Over here!" They turned to see two of their comrades, Hugh and Zephyr, sitting not far from them.

The four of them had been good friends since their days back at the training school. Hugh stood a bit taller than York, and was a bit more muscular, on account of the large great sword he used. A long scar extended from the bridge of his nose to the upper right side of his face, mostly obscured by his sandy blond hair. Most women might consider him handsome, but York knew better; he might look nice, but Hugh was horrible with the ladies.

Zephyr stood even taller than Hugh did, although he was somewhat thin compared to Hugh and York. A long sword was strapped to his back, and he had his long black hair at shoulder length. He had a short stubble of facial hair growing as well; he looked almost like a samurai. Zephyr also had that perpetual smirk of his; for some reason, he always seemed to be in good spirits.

"Well, look whose back in Moga!" York said, sliding into the bench opposite the two. "I thought you two were at Tanzia Port for another month!" "Well," Hugh began, "we were supposed to stay there for another week, but for some reason they ordered most hunters out."

"Do you have any idea why?" Rose asked. The Guild wouldn't close down Tanzia unless it was important. "From some of the rumors I heard," Zephyr said, "there's some sort of investigation going on. Something about several hunters going missing while out on quests." "What do you mean, 'missing'?" York asked. "Hunters just never returned after quests. Some people went out looking for them, but no remains were ever found." Hugh stated. "Still, it does seem a bit extreme to close down the entire port. Many hunters go there to further there careers. Zeph and I hit a few milestones over there ourselves." "Speaking of which…" Rose said grinning at York. "We killed our hundredth Great Jaggi today! You know what that means!" Hugh and Zephyr both looked at York with bemused expressions. He simply sighed and ordered a round for the table.

About an hour later, a voice behind York caught his attention. "You're York, right?" He turned to his questioner, seeing a rookie with a short sword strapped to the back of his chainmail armor. "Yeah, and you're… Finch, if I recall." York had seen the rookie hunter in the tavern a few times before. He seemed capable, even if he was a bit overconfident. "Wow, I didn't expect you to know my name!" Finch eagerly said.

"Well, I'm not exactly a celebrity or anything. Why wouldn't I?" York asked, slightly amused by the young man's attitude. "I just figured a skilled hunter like you wouldn't really care too much about the rookies."

"Well, that'sch silly of you!" Rose said with a slight slur to her speech. "York helpsch out at the training school every month!" York checked her tankard when she wasn't looking; it was still almost full. "_Speaking of which, I think I said I'd be there tomorrow to train the students. Instructor Epplen will get on my case if I'm late again._" He recalled.

"I heard that almost as soon as you were out of training school, you were able to hunt a Nargacuga. Is that true?" Finch asked.

York's expression immediately darkened. Almost every head in the tavern was looking at him now; most had heard the rumors, but York usually tried to avoid the topic. That just made them all the more curious. Hugh and Zephyr looked at each other somewhat worriedly; York really didn't like telling that tale.

"That… isn't something I like to talk much about." York stated with a slight edge to his voice. "But it must be important if you can remember it!" Finch pressed. "Come on; why not tell us the truth about it?" York glanced over at Rose, hoping for a little support; she had already passed out, and had her head buried in her arms on the table. York sighed; he would have to tell the story alone.

"Well, the rumors you've heard are true, for the most part. I hadn't even had my hunting license for a week. Still had basic hunter's armor and everything. Kind of like you do now, Finch. Anyways, Rose and I went on a gathering mission in the Flooded Forest. We were told the mission environment was stable, and no larger monsters had been sighted. Little did we know that the report was a week old. I heard Rose's scream from the area she was in, and I ran over to find out what happened. There, standing in the field glaring down at her, was a Nargacuga."

At this point, everyone in the tavern was listening intently. No one had heard a story of how a rookie hunter bested a beast as strong as a Nargacuga before, and were completely enraptured by the tale.

"Before it attacked her, I ran between it and Rose. Gave it a nice cut over its left eye when it tried to bite me. For a little while, I thought I might be able to fight it off. Rose's bow had been broken by the beast before I arrived to help, so I was hoping she would try to get away while I dealt with the thing. What I hadn't realized was that she had sprained her ankle dodging the monster when it charged at her, and she could only crawl over to a safer spot. I had checked to see where she was, during the fight."

Many of the veteran hunters grimaced at that particular detail. A lapse in awareness had led many to severe injuries, and even more to a swift death.

"In the short second I had been distracted, the Nargacuga launched some of its tail spikes at me. I managed to avoid most of them, but one caught my right shoulder. The spike went clean through my armor, and body, before pinning me to a wall behind me. The Nargacuga charged at me, and slashed me all the way from my left shoulder to my right hip. My armor did nothing to stop the creatures attack. By then, the beast probably thought I was done for, because it began to turn towards Rose. Using the last bit of strength I had in me, I pulled the spike from my shoulder and stabbed it clean through the head. I passed out then, because next thing I knew I was at the base camp with Rose, who had been trying to tend my wounds. And that is the truth of what happened. You can all get on with your lives now," York finished. The story had exhausted him, as had the memories of the incident.

The tavern was completely silent as he got up and hoisted Rose over his shoulder. Without a word, he opened the door and left the bewildered group of hunters.

It was almost midnight by the time York walked into his home. He carried Rose's still drunken body up to her room and set her on her bed. "_This must be the millionth time I've had to do this,"_ York thought to himself. _"So much for trying to not pass out." _

He sighed as he went to her closet and pulled out one of Rose's nightgowns. _"Last time she complained about sleeping in her armor being uncomfortable. I really hope she doesn't decide to wake up while I'm doing this; I'd have a hell of a time explaining THAT."_ He began to remove her armor, first the waist, then the arms, legs, and helm. Before he removed her torso armor completely, York felt a sharp pain on his jaw.

Completely caught off guard by the swift uppercut, he stumbled back and slipped on a piece of her armor. He fell to the floor, knocking the back of his head against Rose's nightstand as he fell. By now, York's head was throbbing. He looked up just in time to see a lamp falling straight towards him. "Oh, son of a…"


	4. Chapter 4-Bad Dreams

_Hello again, reader! Bet you thought you wouldn't be hearing from me again, did you? I actually have more chapters completed, but I'm going to hold off uploading the rest of them until later. I'm going to try for a weekly release; that way, I'll have some back-up if I can't get to writing at some point. Thanks for understanding; unless you don't, in which case, tough._

Chapter 4-Bad dreams

_Rose was standing in a small clearing in the forest. It was raining; it almost always did there. She was trying to find something; "Was it bugs, or mushrooms?" she thought. "I really need to start reading over the quest descriptions more." A loud sound behind her immediately drew her attention. _

_Fear gripped Rose as she saw what was looking at her; the Shadow of the Forest. A Nargacuga. She drew her bow and pulled the string back, but before she could fire a single arrow, the beast lunged at her. Her bow was torn from her grasp, and was smashed into the ground by the creature's claws. It took another swipe at her, but she dodged it, landing awkwardly on her leg. _

_She let out a cry of pain; she twisted her ankle. Rose turned to the beast as it slowly walked towards her. Its red eyes seemed to pierce straight into her soul; they held the look of complete rage. She tried to back away as quick as she could, but the beast was still much faster, and began to leisurely walk towards her._

_Before the Nargacuga could reach her, a blur smashed into the monster's side. Before it could react, the monster's left eye had been cut out by its assailant. The creature jumped back from the new threat. There, with dual swords drawn, stood York._

"_Rose! Are you okay!? Try and get somewhere safe, I'll try to drive it off!" He said. His clear blue eyes were almost the complete opposite of the Naruga's; they made Rose calm, and made her feel safe. With a fierce battle cry, York charged at the black beast. Rose couldn't concentrate on the battle that was taking place; she had to fix her leg and find a hiding place. After downing a potion and wrapping a splint around her ankle, Rose heard an anguished scream. She turned quickly, with a horrified expression on her face._

_York had been pinned to a wall, and the creature had just cut a massive gash through his armor! His swords were on the ground, too far for him to reach. He grimaced in pain as he coughed up blood._

_The Nargacuga turned and glared at her, making her heart skip a beat. Pure terror gripped her now; York was badly injured, and she had no way of escaping the monster. Before it could move though, York tore the spike that had pinned him from his shoulder, and with a single thrust, impaled the Nargacuga through the head. The beast couldn't even react; the sudden attack had killed it instantly._

_York fell to the ground then, and Rose rushed over to him. "York! Are you okay?! York, say something!" Rose cried. She checked his pulse; she couldn't feel anything. "No…" she whispered to herself, tears streaming down her cheeks._

_Suddenly, a hand gripped her wrist. She looked down in surprise at York, who had a weak smile on his face. "I ain't dead yet, Rose." He said weakly. "York! I need to treat your wounds! I thought you had died!" Rose said as relief washed over her. "Heh.." York laughed weakly. "You just checked the wrong spot for my pulse, lady. It's lower down the neck…" Rose laughed, relieved that York was still as sarcastic as ever._

_She helped him back to camp, and dressed his wounds; a doctor would be much more helpful, but these would have to do. York had the Naruga's tail spike clutched in his hand the whole time._

_A wroggi had slinked its way into the camp, though. It intended on making a meal out of the weakened hunter. Rose got up from where she had been sitting, and with speed that she never knew she had, rushed at the small monster. "No!" She screamed, punching the beast below the jaw as hard as she could._

Rose awoke to the sound of crashing and banging. She had a slight headache, and her hand hurt a bit. She pushed herself up and looked around. It was still dark, maybe around midnight. "_Did I pass out again? Ugh, York won't let me hear the end of this,"_ Rose thought to herself. "_Wait, what was all that noise earlier?"_ She turned and saw the cause; York was out cold on the floor, a broken lamp nearby his head. Rose almost laughed at the sight.

"_Well, at least he was courteous enough to try and get me changed into something more comfortable," _she thought, spying the bits of armor on the floor and the nightgown at the end of the bed. She got up and walked over to York's figure sprawled out on the floor. Rose smiled; he was out like a light. She kissed him softly on the forehead before returning to her bed. "Good night, York," she whispered. York mumbled something incomprehensible, making Rose giggle.


	5. Chapter 5-Late

_Ok, I may have told a small white lie. Since this one is pretty short, I'm going to upload it now. I'm going to stick to the weekly releases though. At least, I'll try to. No promises._

Chapter 5-Late

York woke up with a throbbing headache. "_What the hell happened last night? I didn't even drink that much!" _he thought.

"It's about time you woke up, York!" Rose said standing over him. "Are you okay? That lamp hit you pretty hard!" "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He answered. "And by the way, you owe me for passing out again."

"Well, that'll have to wait. You were supposed to go help Epplen out at the training school today, remember?" Rose said. "Wait, what!? Dammit, I'm going to be late again!" he said, bolting for the door. "I'll see you later, Rose!"

York rushed out onto the crowded wooden street. "_I'll never make it through this crowd. Guess I better start roof hopping."_

York ran up a few stacks of boxes and climbed onto the roof connecting the houses to each other. With amazing dexterity, York ran over the roofs, jumping over any gaps and crossing over the street with a single leap. A few surprised faces in the crowd watched York's mad dash towards the training school, but he paid them no mind.

A cloths line extended between the school window and the house he was standing on. "_I hope this works…_" York thought, pulling the carbalite tomahawk from his belt.

He jumped from the roof and, using the bottom of the axe, slid down the line towards the school. York crashed through the window, before landing and rolling to a stop in front of a small group of people. He looked up at the bewildered faces of the group that had seen him burst into the room.

"Am I late?"

"Well, York, I'd say yes, you are late." Epplen said with an exasperated tone. "Not only that, but you broke another window. Why the hell do you always have to crash through one of the damn things?! This is the fifth one this year!"

Epplen had been the Instructor at Moga's training school since he moved from Pinleaf Village. York had attended his old school at the same village along with Rose, Hugh, and Zephyr. Epplen was strict, but was usually fair with his students. That didn't stop York and Hugh from occasionally pulling a prank on the man, but Rose and Zephyr were usually able to get them out of trouble. It was generally considered that the ferocity Epplen displayed when he was pissed off rivaled that of a Tigrex. He had a squared jaw and a bald head, along with very thick eyebrows. Numerous scars covered his face and arms; Epplen was one hell of a vet, if anything. He was beginning to show his age, though; a few wrinkles were visible on his battle-hardened face.

"Yeah, sorry about that, Gramps." York said. "I came as quick as I could." "I'm sure you did. By the way, what the hell happened to your jaw? Looks like you got sucker punched in a bar fight." Epplen said, noting the bruise on York's chin.

"You could say something like that. Anyways, do you still want me to train the new bloods?" York asked, eyeing the small group of trainees. He was able to tell who the difficult ones would be right from the start.

"Well, since you're here, yes. And York? Try not to rough 'em up too bad now. I still need to keep my job." Epplen said.

"No promises."


	6. Chapter 6-Practice

-Practice

York turned to face the new bloods, observing the different emotions on their faces. Some were nervous, others were determined. The most noticeable, though, were the ones who snickered and laughed amongst themselves; the arrogant.

He picked three from the group that he decided would probably be the biggest pain in the ass. "You three are up first. This exercise is simple; try to land a hit on me. If any of you manage to do that, you win." The three had confident looks on their faces, believing it would be easy to do. Each one unsheathed their individual practice weapons; one held a lance, one a sword and shield, and the last a great sword.

"Well, are you three going to stand there all day, or are you going to attack?" York taunted.

The trainees immediately charged at him, with the lancer reaching him first. York ducked underneath the blunt weapon before catching the handle. The trainee yelped in surprise as York tore the lance from his grasp and slammed him into the ground.

The sword and shield user leaded towards York, intending to strike him with a jump slash. York effortlessly sidestepped the attack, catching the young rookie's wrist as he swung. York disarmed his opponent, and twisted the rookie's arm behind him. York easily threw the trainee to the dirt floor of the training ring.

By then the great sword user had caught up to him, and tried to hit York with a horizontal swing. York easily jumped over the slow attack without even turning around. While the student tried to recover, York grabbed his shoulder and threw him down next to his partners.

"So, still feel like I don't have any idea what I'm doing?" York addressed the entire group of students now. "Trust me, great hunters aren't always the biggest or the strongest. Most of them are the smartest; they know how to adapt, and how to react. It's not easy to learn, but it's well worth the effort."

A hand rose from the back of the group. "Exactly how do you plan on teaching us this?" "Simple. I'm going to beat it into the lot of you." York bluntly stated.

Most of the rookies went wide eyed at that remark; they had seen what York was capable of, and certainly didn't want to have to fight him.

"Well, I think I'll try my hand first then." York was surprised when a young man, maybe around seventeen years old stepped forward. He was lean, with messy blond hair. His cool blue eyes had a determined look in them, not that much unlike York's. The practice dual swords the academy supplied him rested over his left shoulder. "_A lefty, huh?"_ York smiled, slightly amused at the young man's eagerness.

"Usually I have to pick someone out of the crowd first. This is a nice change of pace," York said. "What's your name, kid?"

"The name's Dustin." The young rookie stated. "Well Dustin, show me what you can do!" York was looking forward to testing him.

Dustin quickly drew his swords and ran at York. With speed that impressed even York, he swung his swords in a graceful, deadly string of attacks. York still managed to evade or redirect all of Dustin's swings; he didn't intend to make it easy.

Suddenly, Dustin changed tactics and flipped his swords, holding them in a reverse grip. York, while slightly surprised at the change of attack pattern, didn't falter in his fluid dodging. He could tell Dustin was beginning to tire out, as his swings were slowing down. York waited for an opening before attempting to grab Dustin's shoulder.

However, the young man surprised York yet again by twisting his entire body around and trying to slash York across the back. York somersaulted out of the way before sweeping Dustin's legs out from under him. Dustin landed on his back with a heavy thud.

"Not bad at all, Dustin." York said with a grin. "You all should learn from this; you don't have to think about every action in a battle. Of course, you still need to pay attention to what's going on, but it's better to trust your gut and go with split second decisions. They usually end up saving your ass much more than not. Remember; don't hesitate."

York helped Dustin to his feet before picking another trainee from the group, a young man with fiery red hair and a lance. "_It's going to be a long day," _York thought to himself, preparing for the next session.


	7. Chapter 7-Rumors

_Hello again, readers and readettes! It's time for a quick character change! This one's going to focus a bit more on Hugh; I'm sure some of you might like him. Trust me; his character is probably the most fun I've been able to write yet. Enjoy!_

Chapter 7-Rumors

Hugh was sitting by himself at the tavern, eyeing a pretty blond hunteress. "Okay, here we go," he muttered to himself. He had it all worked out; he would go over, introduce himself, and ask her to go on a hunt with him. Nothing to it. "_What's the worst that could happen? I'll just keep it nice and simple."_

Hugh approached the huntress and asked "Excuse me, miss? I was wondering if you would-"

He was immediately cut off as she turned and slapped him across the face twice, then kicked him in groin!

Hugh fell to the ground in pain as the huntress walked off with a huff. "What the hell!? I didn't even do anything!" Hugh shouted, still writhing on the floor. A shadow fell over him, causing him to look up. "Still havin' a bit of trouble with women, Hugh?"

"Zeph, trust me, if you had my luck, you probably would have killed yourself by now," Hugh said through gritted teeth. Zephyr was smirking at Hugh as he helped him up and over to a table before asking a waitress for an icepack. "Well, I'm sure you'll find someone eventually. I mean, honestly, there has to be at least one girl out there who won't slap you after two sentences."

"Actually, this time it was one and a half. But same difference. Anyways, what's up?" Hugh asked. "It's about Tanzia Port. I heard a few more rumors about what's been happening over there." Zephyr said.

"Apparently, some of the hunters who went missing have gone rogue. But the interesting part is that they aren't poaching; they're going after other hunters." "What!?" Hugh exclaimed. "Hugh, keep it down, we don't need to attract a crowd," Zephyr said. "Why would they be going after other hunters though? What reason could they have?" Hugh asked, still shocked at the information.

"I heard that they were looking for something –or someone- for one reason or another. Maybe it's just to spite the Guild. You know how rumors are. I don't know anything for certain, but from the sounds of it these people are pretty dangerous. So watch your back, Hugh." Hugh nodded slowly. "Alright, I will. Have you told York or Rose yet?" "No, York is still at the training school helping the new bloods, and I think Rose is out gathering materials right now."

"Wrong!" Rose suddenly said from behind Zephyr. "Son of a-! Don't scare me like that, woman!" Zephyr exclaimed, completely taken by surprise. "When did you get back?" Hugh asked, grinning at Zephyr's jumpiness. "Just now, actually. York's still over at the school?" She asked. The two nodded.

"So, are you two going out yet, or what?" Hugh asked with a devilish grin on his face. Rose's face reddened immediately. "That's-! We're not-! We're just roommates!"

Hugh laughed, but was saved from a second low blow by Zephyr. "Rose, while I get that he may deserve it, he's just been hit there today. Let's try not to make him suffer more than he has to, okay?" Zephyr whispered to her. "Fine, but first thing tomorrow, I'm shoving him off the pier."

"Anyways, what were you two talking about?" The two hunters told Rose all the information they had gathered. "Geez, that's not good," She said.

"That's putting it mildly," Hugh said. "The most we can do now is to just wait for more info. Hopefully the whole thing will blow over without too much of an incident." Zephyr said. Rose and Hugh nodded in agreement.

"So, Rose, if things don't work out between you and York, feel free to come to me," Hugh said with a grin on his face. Rose, while slightly flustered, slipped Zephyr a small bag of coins under the table, and he nodded at her with an amused expression. "Well, see you guys later, I'm going to check up on York." She said before leaving.

"So, Zeph, do you think I have a chance with her?"

Zephyr looked at the bag of coins he had received before smirking. "Maybe."


	8. Chapter 8-Apprentice

Chapter 8-Apprentice

York was exhausted by the time he left the training academy. He hadn't exactly slept well the night before, and training two dozen up and coming hunters was not something one can do easily. "Hey, York! Wait up!" York turned to his addresser, somewhat surprised. "Yeah? What's up, Dustin?"

Dustin ran up to him, still huffing from the day's work. "Listen, I want you to train me. Can I be your apprentice?" York was even more surprised at how direct the young hunter was. "Well, I never really thought about taking on an apprentice. Why do you want to train under me?"

"You're kidding, right?" Dustin asked. "After seeing what you could do in there, I'm surprised no one else has asked you yet. I want you to teach me how to fight like that." At that comment, York let out a loud chuckle. "Listen, my fighting style is almost completely original. I'm not even sure I know how I can teach it. I think it's important for you to develop your own abilities instead of copying someone else's." Dustin's face fell somewhat at York's statement.

"That being said, I'd be more than willing to take you on as an apprentice." Dustin's face immediately lit up. "Seriously?! You mean it?!" York nodded with a slight smile. "Hell yeah!" Thanks, York!" "I'm guessing you already talked to Epplen about this then?" York asked, noting the pack Dustin had with him. "Yeah, he said you could probably use an apprentice." "I'm sure he did," York laughed. "Alright, come on, Dust. Guess we'd better start getting you moved in."_ How the hell am I going to explain this to Rose?_ York thought to himself.

"What's this about moving in?" York froze and turned around slowly. Rose was standing right behind him, with her arms crossed. She did not look happy.

"Oh, uh, hey, Rose," York stuttered. "I, uh, may have taken an apprentice. You, uh, you don't mind, right?" Rose just stared at him for a few moments, making him feel a little uneasy.

She suddenly burst out laughing! "Of course not! I think it's great that you've taken an apprentice!" "Damn, you had me half scared to death there! Have you been talking to Hugh again?" York asked, somewhat relieved that she had reacted so well.

"Well, yes, I did run into him and Zeph at the tavern. But that's beside the point. What's your name, kid?" She asked Dustin.

"Uh, I'm D-Dustin. Pleased to meet you," he replied. _"Damn, is she York's girlfriend? He's one lucky son of a bitch!" _Dustin thought to himself. "Alright, well, now that we all know each other, let's head back home. I don't know about you two, but I need some rest. And Rose? Leave the pots in the kitchen this time." She giggled at the comment.


	9. Chapter 9-New Digs

Chapter 9-New digs

"Whoa, nice place," Dustin said. The three had managed to get to York and Rose's house before the sun was down. "Thanks, I built it myself," York replied. "Let's see about getting you a bed. I think I have one stored in the back. I hope you don't mind sleeping in the living room."

"Living room? This looks more like a dump, no offense."

This time, Rose spoke up. "Well, considering York makes most of his own equipment, what can you expect? He basically uses this room as his workshop."

"Wait, seriously? I just thought his armor was a new design or something! He made that himself?"

"Damn right I did," York proudly stated, dragging out a Ludroth sponge mattress. "Alright, here you go. I got a spare equipment chest for you too, but I'll get that out for you tomorrow. Help me move some of the things on the floor so we can make room."

"Alright, I'm going to bed then. I'll see you boys in the morning!" Rose said, climbing the stairs to her room.

Dustin waited until he heard the door close before asking, "Just exactly what did you have to do to get her to go out with you?"

"_Dammit, not another one!"_ York thought to himself. "We're just friends, roommates, and hunting partners. Trust me, you'll understand in about a week."

Dustin looked puzzled, but nodded anyways. "So, she's available then?"

"Dustin, let me just say this. You're starting to sound like Hugh. Don't be like Hugh."

The next morning, York woke up well rested. "_Okay, screw it, I'm taking today off. I think I've earned it,"_ he thought. He went to the kitchen, where Rose had already prepared breakfast for her, York, and Dustin.

"See? I kept the pots in the kitchen this time!" She laughed. "Well, thanks. At least my ears can continue to recover from last time." He said.

"Anyways, Dustin, I know you were looking forward to getting straight to your training, but I need to take the day off. I've been working like crazy for the past few weeks, and yesterday I didn't get much rest, so today we can take it easy."

Dustin nodded in acknowledgment. "That's fine, actually. I was hoping to explore Moga a bit. I only arrived here a week ago, so I haven't really seen the sights yet." "Well, I guess I can show you around. I'd say the first thing we can see is the pier."

"Oh! In that case, I'll go with you two!" Rose said. "I have something I need to do over there anyways."

"What could you have to… wait, are you going to shove Hugh off the pier again?"

Rose's smile told York everything he needed to know. Dustin looked between the two of them with a confused expression, but neither one of them elaborated.

"Alright, I guess this'll also serve as Dustin's introduction to the guy. Let's go," he said, sliding his carbalite axe into the loop on his belt. York wore simple clothes- civies, as hunters usually called them- a dark green shirt with brown pants and boots. He waited while the others got ready before they headed out to the pier.

The three found Hugh and Zephyr waiting at the docks. "Hey, York! Who's the kid?" Hugh asked pointing at Dustin. "My new apprentice. Dustin this is Hugh. The tall guy's Zephyr." Zephyr had an amused expression on his face as he studied the young rookie. "Apprentice, huh?"

"Wait, you actually took an apprentice? Wow York, I never thought you had it in you." Hugh said. He then turned to Rose. "So, Rose, Zeph told me you wanted to meet me out here. What's up?"

York had a hard time keeping a straight face; Rose was always devious, but sometimes she could be downright cruel. Zephyr looked like he was having a hard time himself, his lips quivering to contain laughter.

Rose walked closer to Hugh until they were about arm's length apart. "Well, Hugh, the truth is…" she began, twiddling her fingers. Hugh's face was beaming. Dustin noted the strained expressions on York and Zephyr's faces. "York, is she going to-"

Dustin was cut off immediately when Rose kneed Hugh straight in the family jewels and shoved him into the ocean! Everyone on the dock burst out laughing as Hugh broke the surface of the water, gasping for air.

"That was for yesterday!" Rose triumphantly said. Zephyr helped pull Hugh back onto the dock while York and Dustin were recovering. "Ok, you guys suck." Hugh gasped while lying on the pier. "And that, my young apprentice, is why you don't want to be like Hugh," York said. "No one is worse with women than him."

"Shove it, York!" was all Hugh could reply. Zephyr helped Hugh to a bench before walking over to York.

"Listen, I need to talk to you about Tanzia. First chance you get, meet me at the Tavern." He said in a low voice. York, although puzzled, agreed. "Alright, give me an hour or two, I'm gonna show Dustin around first."

Zephyr and Hugh walked back into town, Zephyr supporting Hugh with his arm. Dustin watched them for a minute before turning to York. "Well York, I think I see why I don't want to be like him." The three laughed before heading back to the market center.

Dustin stared in awe at the many things he saw. Fishermen returned from boats, sometime carrying fish as big as he was tall. Merchants shouted out to passer-bys to try and sell their wares, while many stopped by to see what was for sale. Hunters came and went from the tavern, some departing on quests while others returned carrying spoils of victory. Dustin gawked as a hunter walked past with a hammer made from a Rathalos's head.

York and Rose laughed as Dustin eagerly looked around. "I've never seen a place like this before! There's so much to do around here!" Dustin said enthusiastically. "Most activity happens around the market. It's a good place to hear the news and to get supplies," York said.

"Most merchants are also willing to buy things you have as well," Rose added. "Some of the shopkeepers practically worship hunters. You are almost guaranteed a good price around here!"

"Looks like I picked a good career then!" Dustin replied. York and Dustin continued on towards the west, where the blacksmith lived. Rose, however, decided to stay in town to buy a few supplies. York knew the real reason she didn't stay with them, though.

"She seemed a bit nervous when you said we were going to the smiths. Why is that?" Dustin asked.

"Well, Rose doesn't particularly like blacksmiths. Back when we were still at the hunter's academy, we all had to get measured so we could be fitted for our armor." York explained. "The process usually only takes about ten minutes. Except the particular smith Rose had to report to was a bit… worse than Hugh, shall we say. He took maybe about four times longer getting measurements. And don't even ask about the armor he made for her. Also, if she finds out I told you that, chances are we'll both end up at the bottom of the ocean, so keep your mouth shut."

Dustin knew not to press further. The pair arrived at the smiths, where a small Wyvernian stood hammering a piece of white-hot metal. Dustin was amazed; the hammer was twice as big as the small creature. "Well, you two just gonna stan' there gawkin' all day, or do ya' have business?" the smith suddenly asked.

"Hey there Lumin. How ya' doin'?" York asked. "Well, look who it is! Never thought I'd see ya back here, York. Usually, you just make yer own crap to hunt with." Lumin replied.

"And I'm still doing that. Anyways, this is my apprentice, Dustin. I'm sure you'll be seeing more of him than you did of me."

The wyvernian gave Dustin a long stare, as if he were sizing him up for a suit of armor. "Heh, and I'm guessing ya want me to make him some armor then? Well York, from what I can tell, yer old suit of hunter's armor should fit him pretty well."

Dustin noticed York wince at the mention of the armor, but he didn't dwell on it. "I guess I could let you have my old suit. I sure as hell don't need it anymore, so just think of it as a gift. May as well get you a new pair of swords too."

"Damn, aren't you the charitable one?" Dustin said sarcastically. Truthfully, he couldn't be happier. Not only was he getting a suit of armor, he was also going to get better swords! And to top it all off, they were gifts from York!

"Trust me, I lose more than enough money to Rose alone. If it saves my wallet, I'd be glad to give you some equipment now and then. But Lumin will be the one to upgrade it; the things I make are a bit unorthodox compared to standard hunting gear."

The short wyvernian let out grunt. "Yeah, I heard you were workin' on some kinda fancy armor. Ya finish that yet? I might wanna take a gander at it."

"Maybe later. Anyways, we'll catch you later Lumin. Gotta show Dustin to the tavern." York and Dustin then left the wyvernian to his work, heading towards the tavern.


	10. Chapter 10-Intel

Chapter 10-Intel

A short time later, they arrived at the tavern. It was certainly busier than it had been last time York was there; most every table was filled with hunters telling grandiose tales of the various feats they performed.

Dustin was truly stunned; he had never seen so many hunters in one place! The place was packed, as hunters came and went to depart on quests. He saw all sorts of armor and weapons. One hunter even had a sword that looked like a fish!

York quickly found the table Zephyr and Hugh were at and went to sit with them. Dustin followed closely, before sliding down next to York. "Hey, you two. Seen the sights now, have we?" Zephyr asked with a smile. Dustin liked him; the guy always seemed to be in good spirits.

"Yeah, I never knew there could be so much to do in one place," Dustin replied. "I can't wait to start hunting."

"Hah! Pretty eager, are we? I'm guessing York will take you out to the woods tomorrow to give you the ropes."

"Well, that's the plan. You wanna come along too, Zeph?" York asked. Zephyr's smirk broke into a full smile. "Why not? We haven't hunted in a while."

Hugh remained quiet throughout the whole exchange, slouching slightly and grumbling to himself. "Something the matter, Hugh?" Dustin asked. "Oh, him? He just got turned down by another huntress. And if you haven't realized by now, when Hugh gets rejected, he gets rejected HARD." Zephyr explained.

Hugh let out a groan before smacking his face against the table.

"Even I have to admit that it was totally undeserved, though. Didn't even get to finish his first sentence this time! Must be a new record." "Zeph, I swear, one of these days you will know my pain." Hugh mumbled, still pressing his face against the table.

York nodded at Zephyr, hoping to hear what his friend had to tell him. "Dustin, see that board over there? Go check tomorrows forecast. We don't want to run into anything too dangerous." York said. Dustin got up and slowly made his way through the tavern towards the bar.

"Hey Hugh. I think I just saw a pretty nice looking huntress eyeing you. She went off towards the bar." Zephyr said. Hugh was immediately up and eagerly headed over towards the bar.

"So, you get any more news from Tanzia?" York asked. "Actually, yes. I told Rose and Hugh yesterday, but a bit of new information came up before we met up at the pier." Zephyr replied. "Some of the hunters that have gone missing have actually turned on the Guild. Not only that, they're going after other hunters."

"That doesn't make any sense though. Why go after hunters?" York was troubled; most hunters that go rogue just protest against the Guild, at worst going after Guild members.

"That part I still haven't figured out. But there is some very troubling news." Zephyr said rather seriously. "A search party came across a body riddled with wounds. Not just injuries caused from weapons, though; there were bite and claw marks all over the poor sap's body."

"Wait, are you saying that whoever did this is working with monsters?" York asked with a puzzled look. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

Zephyr was quick to reply. "As unlikely as it seems, most of the bite marks were on the legs. Monsters usually don't try to hold a person in place. Either way, like I told the others, watch your back. I don't think it's a good idea to go out hunting alone now."

"Alright, tell me if you find out anything else." A yelp from the bar drew both of their gazes. A small crowd had gathered, but judging by how an attractive brunette stormed out of the tavern, it wasn't hard to guess what happened. Dustin half dragged, half carried Hugh back over to the table.

"Well, I got to see what happened first hand. Not gonna lie, I feel pretty bad for him," Dustin said with a sympathetic look.

"I didn't even do anything this time!" Hugh groaned. "I literally just walked over to the bar and bam! She go's at me from behind! I swear, someone is out for my blood." The group laughed at the thought; who would send a bunch of pretty girls out to attack Hugh?

"Oh, right. York, the board showed that an Arzuros would be in the woods tomorrow." "Ah, perfect! That'll be a good first hunt for you." York said. "And since you invited me, I think I'll tag along too." Zephyr said, his signature smirk returning to his face. "I'd like to see what the kid is capable of."

Dustin had to admit, he was glad Zephyr agreed to come. Not only would York and maybe Rose be there, but now he had a flippin' samurai watching his back! What could go wrong?

"Well, I'd better help this lug back to the inn," Zephyr said. "I'll meet you on the bridge to the woods." Zephyr helped Hugh up and walked with him towards the exit.

"Alright, Dustin. Let's head back home and get that armor for you," York said as he stood up. As the two went for the door, a slurred voice shouted at them. "'Ey! Where ya tink yer goin', kid?" York sighed as he turned around. A few drunken members of the hunting fleet stood there, stumbling over to the two hunters.

"Okay, this is getting old..." York exasperatedly stated. The fleet always had a rivalry with hunters, and sometimes tried to get into bar fights with more than a few.

"Dustin, head back to the house. I'll be there in about… ten minutes. Tops." York said, cracking his knuckles. Dustin, although hoping to see what would happen, obeyed and departed the tavern.


	11. Chapter 11-Punishment

_Hello once again, everyone! If you haven't noticed, I basically decided to screw the whole "weekly release" thing. I'll just release new chapters whenever I feel up to it, which I find to be much more efficient. At least, for me it is. Also, thanks for any reviews and comments! Now, let's get back to the story, shall we?_

Chapter 11-Punishment

"So, you three feel like causing any more trouble?"

York was standing over the small pile of bodies on the floor. The three fleet members were on the ground, groaning in pain.

"No… Just don't do da ting where ya twist me arm like that anymore! It ain't natural!" one of the men pleaded.

"Alright, good. Now get outta here." The three scurried out the door, tripping over each other as they went.

"Well, York, looks like you haven't gotten any worse at fighting," a gruff, familiar voice said from behind him. York turned to face the man. "Felix! It's been ages!" York exclaimed.

Felix was an older hunter York had befriended when he was just starting out as a hunter. The man had a long grey beard and grey hair, along with many wrinkles on his face. His face was riddled with scars, the most prominent being the three claw marks on the right side of his head. He wore heavy black armor made from an Akantor, with a massive sword on his back. Even with his age, the old man didn't show a single sign of letting up.

"Hah! I'm glad you haven't forgotten these old bones yet, kid!" Felix stated. "Where were you all these years? You just completely dropped off the grid!" York asked.

"A few higher ranked missions for the Guild, my boy. You know the works. They don't exactly want me talking about them, though." York understood; some missions the Guild issued were more like top secret orders. "Still, what brings you to Moga?"

"I heard there were some new monsters around here, and that a certain pupil of mine was in the area," Felix said with a wink. "Now, I wonder where he is…" The two laughed and recalled some of their past hunts.

"Well, I'd love to stay, but I gotta run," York said after a few minutes. "I told Dustin I'd be back soon, so better not break that promise." _Chances are he told Rose too, and I really don't need her on my case._ "Alright, I'll see you 'round the hunting grounds, lad!" Felix said before letting out a loud echoing laugh.

"_The old man sure does love to hunt. I would have thought he'd have retired by now," _York thought as he ran home. The sun was beginning to dip into the horizon, dying the town a bright orange. Oddly, there weren't many people out; only a couple hunters returning from the woods. One of them seemed to stare at York as he ran past, but he paid them no heed; last time he showed up late from a bar fight, Rose locked him out of the house all night until he apologized next morning.

York ran towards the front door, but before he could reach it, the door flung open! His momentum still carrying him, York ran head long into Rose, both of them falling back into the house with a crash.

"Oww… York, what the hell?" Rose asked. "Uh, sorry Rose. I didn't expect you to open the door right then." "Well, I accept your apology, but do you mind getting off me?"

York suddenly realized that he had fallen on top of Rose. "Oh, uh, s-sorry about that," he quickly said as he got up. He helped her to her feet as well before she slapped him across the face!

"Ow! Okay, I thought you forgave me! What the heck was that for?" he said, rubbing his probably red cheek. "Well, you were late coming home again! You told Dustin you'd be ten minutes. It was almost twenty before you got back! I actually thought you got beaten up, and was about to head out and look for you!" Rose said, slightly annoyed.

Dustin suddenly peeked his head in from the kitchen, with an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry, York. I find it really hard to lie to her."

_Yeah, you're not the only one,_ York thought to himself. "Well, I'm sorry for making you worry. I ran into Felix at the tavern, so we spent some time catching up."

"Seriously? The old man's still hunting?" Rose asked. She had known Felix almost as long as York had, and she considered him to be almost like a grandparent. "So it would seem. But anyways, do you remember where I left my old hunters armor? Lumin thought it might fit Dustin." Rose winced in a similar way that York had earlier at the mention of the armor. "Yeah, I think it's in the spare chest."

"May as well bring the whole thing out, then." York went to a small closet and pulled out the box. He slid it across the floor before stopping by Dustin's bed. "Alright, here. Come get suited up."

Dustin practically ran York down as he hurried over to the chest. Rose giggled at the sight before going into the kitchen. Soon, Dustin stood clothed in York's old armor.

"Alright Dustin, the suit's all yours. I just have one request of you." York said. "Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"Don't lose this armor. It's gotten me through more scraps than almost anything else." York had a solemn look on his face; one Dustin had never thought he'd ever see. It quickly disappeared though, replaced by a grin. "Cause if you do, you're going to have to pay me back, big time."

Rose stepped into the living room, carrying a small bowl of stew she had made. "Wow, Lumin was right! That armor fits you like a glove!" She said as she looked him up and down.

Her gaze fell on the armor's torso, still showing signs of the large gash that had been rent through it by the Nargacuga before it had been repaired. She shuddered a bit at the memory, but still kept a good expression on her face.

"And I think I have a pair of Jaggid Shotels in there too. Just don't swing them around in the house; last thing I need is a sword through the walls." York said. He began hungrily eying the bowl in Rose's hands. "Hey, Rose, did you happen to make enough of that for all of us?"

"Actually, as punishment for you being late, I gave Dustin your helping," she said with a sly smile on her face. "Okay, did I really deserve that harsh of a punishment? I'm starving!" York said, somewhat exasperated.

"Would you rather I had dealt with you the way I deal with Hugh?"

"…Point taken."


	12. Chapter 12-First Blood

-First Blood

Dustin, Rose, and a now fed York headed out to the bridge leading to the woods the next morning. There, Zephyr was waiting, clothed in full Lagiacrus armor and with his long sword strapped to his back.

"You three kept me waiting," he said, taking off his helm. "Well, if York hadn't spent so much time stuffing his face, we would have been here earlier," Dustin replied.

"Hey, it's not my fault the two of you decided to hide all the food from me. That was taking things a bit too far," York retorted. "Then next time don't come home so late!" Rose said, ending the argument.

Zephyr looked between them with a questioning look on his face. "Did ah, did I miss something?" York let out a sigh. "Come on, I'll fill you in on the way."

"Alright Dustin, what do you know about the Arzuros?" York asked his pupil. "Well, they look like large blue furred bears. They have strong bracers on their arms, have sharp claws, and what else… Oh, right. They like honey a lot."

York was impressed. "I see you've studied up, that's good. It's always important to learn as much about your target as possible before the hunt." Dustin nodded, accepting the praise.

"Now, the three of us are only here for support. If things start to look bad, then we'll step in, but this thing is yours to fight," York said. "Of course, we'll be more than happy to help keep small monsters from interfering with the fight. Don't need you getting hurt because a Jaggi decided to take a bite outta your leg."

"York, aren't you forgetting something?" Rose asked. "We have to find the Arzuros before we can talk about killing it." "Which is why I brought some bait," York replied, pulling out a small jar. "Arzuros' love honey. So, why not lay an ambush using some?"

Dustin grinned. "I actually had the same idea," he said, pulling out a jar of his own.

"I think it would be smarter to find an area where we have an advantage. Maybe a wider open field, where there's more room to move around," Zephyr suggested. The group agreed, and found a good spot. York and Dustin smashed some of the honey jars against the ground, filling the area with a sweet aroma.

"Alright Dust, it's your time to shine now. Good luck," York said. "Thanks, I won't need it," Dustin replied. York grinned before heading over to his hiding place nearby Rose and Zephyr.

Dustin let out a deep breath; he was feeling pretty nervous. He waited in the field for what seemed like hours, but he knew it had only been a couple of minutes. A strange sound came from the trees off to his right, and Dustin turned to investigate. _"What is that, a drum beat? Who the hell would be playing drums out here?" _he thought.

The rapid thumping became louder and louder, until Dustin realized what was coming. He quickly dove to the side, just before a massive bulk of blue fur came crashing out of the woods! The monster slid to a stop before looking around the area. It completely ignored him, however; the Arzuros was more intent on the honey slathered on the ground. It quickly rushed over to the spot and began greedily eating the sweet nectar.

Quickly getting to his feet, Dustin ran at the beast while its back was turned, before slashing his swords clean through its back! The Arzuros was completely surprised by this sudden attack, as it hadn't paid any attention to Dustin when it barreled into the field. In its shock, the Arzuros tumbled forward, with Dustin close behind. He was able to slash it half a dozen times while the beast struggled to get up. Dustin was forced back when the Arzuros swung its massive paw at him.

The beast roared in anger before charging at him. Dustin sidestepped before trying to attack the monster. His sword hit the hardened brace on the Arzuros' arm, though, and he stumbled back to try and keep his balance.

As he recovered, he quickly ducked underneath the monster's paws as it tried to grab him, before dashing forward, swords out to the sides! He cut both of the Arzuros' back legs, forcing it to fall forwards due to its weight. Before the bear-like creature could get back up, Dustin jumped through the air, sword points facing down, and impaled the beast through the head! He pulled the swords out of the corpse before flicking the blood off. York, Zephyr, and Rose were heading over to him as he was doing this.

"Hah! Not bad, not bad!" Zephyr said, patting Dustin on the shoulder. "Nice finisher, too. Lots of hunters seem to forget that monsters have vital spots just like us. Aim for those when you can; it'll make your future hunts go a lot smoother," York added.

"Good job out there, Dustin! I'll admit, I was pretty amazed by how well you did!" Rose said before giving him a hug. Dustin's face went a bit red in embarrassment, but he accepted the praise. "It actually wasn't that hard to fight. I thought it would be able to hit pretty hard, but the thing was much slower than I thought," he said.

"Well, you are right about them being very strong, but they don't exactly move fast. That's part of the reason I chose it to be your first hunt; I needed to see how well you could dodge and attack. But most other monsters have a few more tricks than an Arzuros does," York said. "Those ones are a bit stronger too, so I felt this would be a good first hunt."

"Anyways, go see what you can carve off the thing before the collectors get here." Zephyr said. "What are collectors?"

"A few hired hands that go out into the woods to get the larger quarry we hunt. It's their job to convert the monsters we hunt into resources and items for the village to use," Zephyr answered.

"That's the only real downside to free hunts; we don't get to keep everything that the monster can give. Still, it's important to help keep Moga running properly, so we have to follow the rules," Rose added.

Dustin went over and carved a few materials off the Arzuros, including one of its tough bracers, before the group went back the village. After bidding Zephyr farewell, York, Rose, and Dustin headed home.

"Over the next few days, I'm going to take you out into the woods. It's important for you to learn the area well so that you don't get lost," York said. "Of course, we won't go out on days that something really dangerous shows up. I know what you are and aren't ready for, and trust me; you do not want to fight something you aren't skilled enough to handle."

Dustin nodded before digging into the meal Rose had prepared for them. He could understand why York was so peeved about not getting anything yesterday; Rose could cook the best food he had ever eaten. After finishing her dinner, Rose bid them goodnight and went up to her room. York retired to the small room he slept in after helping Dustin out of his armor, and Dustin crashed on the bed he had in the living room. He quickly fell asleep on the soft mattress, the day's events having worn him out thoroughly.


	13. Chapter 13- Good Luck

_Hello again, faithful reader! If you missed Hugh, don't worry; this chapter focuses mostly on him. Enjoy!_

Chapter 14-Good Luck

_Earlier that same day…_

Hugh sat at an empty table in the tavern. He wore a suit of Rathalos mail, with a large Lagiacrus great sword slung across his back. He usually opted out of wearing a helmet, preferring a piercing he earned from participating in the arena instead. It kept his weapon from bouncing when he struck a particularly hard spot on a monster; how it did this, he had no idea.

"Since Zeph went out with the others, I got nothin' to do," he said to himself.

Hugh had been hoping there might be a few hunters around for him to join, but the only people in the tavern were rookies and the staff. He sighed before drinking deeply from the tankard he had in front of him.

"Excuse me, may I sit with you?"

A soft voice from across the table caught his attention. He lowered the tankard from his face to see who it belonged to; a woman with long black hair stood there. She wore a tight suit of Rathian armor; custom design, by the looks of it. Hugh couldn't blame her; the standard Rathian mail made for females was like a metallic dress. He couldn't help but pay attention to her shapely figure, though. The green scales of the armor matched her emerald eyes. A short sword made from Gobul materials hung at her waist, with a small shield of the same make on her back.

"Uh, yeah, sure you can," Hugh said. The woman smiled warmly before sitting opposite him. "_Something ain't right here,_" he thought to himself. "_Since when do women actually come talk to me?"_ "So, what's your name?" Hugh asked.

"I'm Karah, nice to meet you," the woman answered. "How about yours?" "Name's Hugh," he replied. "So, uh, what's up?"

"I was thinking about going on a hunt, but most of the people here are too low of a rank to go to the Tundra," she stated. "I thought you might want to join me." Hugh couldn't believe his ears; a pretty girl was asking him to join her on a hunt! And he wasn't writhing on the floor in pain like usual, either!

"_This is either an elaborate prank, or my luck's finally come through for me," _he thought. "_Screw it; I'm going with the latter."_ "Sure, what are you hunting?"

A look of relief crossed Karah's face. "Oh, thank you! At first, I thought you might say no. I'm not going after anything too difficult, just a Great Baggi. I heard there was a large one sighted, and you know the rumors, right?" "The bigger the monster, the older it is," Hugh replied. A grin crossed his face as he realized what she was getting at. "And the more likely a gem's formed in its body. Okay, now I'm definitely sold."

Karah smiled at him again. "Thanks a lot, Hugh. I really appreciate it," she said. The two got up before heading over to the quest counter to take the quest. Hugh let Karah talk to the woman behind the counter; he had tried to hit on her in the past, and that experience had ended even worse than normal. After getting signed up, the two got on a boat bound for the Tundra and departed.

After a few hours of sailing, the boat dropped them off at the base camp. "You know, I've been hunting for years and I'm still amazed at how quickly the Guild's boats can move," Hugh said. Karah laughed at the comment; almost everyone thought the same thing.

"You know, Hugh, I was actually thinking about asking you about this quest yesterday," she said as they left the camp. "Some of my friends were saying you were a bit of a jerk, but I didn't believe them."

Hugh secretly let out a sigh of relief; at least one girl didn't instantly hate him. "Well, I don't mean to be rude, but some of your friends may not have let me get more than a sentence or two out," Hugh said.

Karah smiled apologetically. "Yeah, I also saw what happened yesterday. I still don't understand why Liz did that."

A loud roar from across the snowy field they were walking through interrupted their conversation. Karah drew her sword while Hugh grasped the handle of his. "That was definitely a Great Baggi, but damn, the thing must be ancient! I've never heard one that loud before!" Hugh said, surprised. "Look, it's over there!" Karah shouted, pointing her sword over towards a large wall.

There stood a massive Great Baggi; Hugh could swear even he would only reach its ankles. About a dozen small Baggi were skipping about, and Hugh could see why; the pack had recently killed a medium sized Popo, and the small carnivores were eager for their meal.

"We need to take out the small ones first," Karah whispered to Hugh. "There are just too many to ignore."

Hugh drew his carving knife as he nodded; a Great Baggi this size would need their full attention. The two snuck up behind the pack and began to silently kill the small ankle biters. Thankfully, the leader was feasting on the Popo, and wasn't paying attention to the now dwindling numbers of its pack. Hugh had just slit the last Baggi's throat before the large pack leader turned and faced the hunters. It quickly surveyed the corpses of its pack before letting out an ear-splitting roar. Hugh was even forced to cover his ears; Karah didn't seem fazed, most likely due to her helm's built in earplugs.

She quickly charged at the monster, which spat a clear blue liquid at her. She jumped to the side, avoiding the tranquilizing fluid. The beast remained focused on Karah, but before it was able to attack her again, Hugh brought his massive blade down on the creature's leg. Bright sparks skipped from where the blade struck as the Baggi reeled back.

Karah had gotten close enough to strike, and began hacking away at the beasts other leg. She was able to cut about a dozen thin slashes through the pack leader's hide before the beast whipped its tail at her. She brought her shield up just in time to block, and was sent skidding back from the impact.

As the Great Baggi turned to face Hugh, he brought the flat of his blade around and slammed it against the creature's face! The impact stunned the monster, and Hugh followed up with a strong horizontal swing that sent it to the ground. Before he could attack again, though, the Baggi kicked him square in the chest, sending him reeling.

The blow winded him, and as he struggled to his feet, Hugh saw that Karah had once again engaged the beast. She slashed its leg a few more times before jumping back to avoid its jaws. The Baggi quickly twisted its head and spat a large amount of the tranquilizing fluid at her! Karah only had a split second to bring up her shield in defense, but the small shield could only block so much of it, and the rest washed over her.

Hugh quickly rushed over to help her as she struggled to stay standing. Karah wasn't able to fight off the fluids effects, and collapsed into the snow. Before the Baggi could attack the helpless woman, Hugh brought his sword down on the leg he had struck earlier, causing the beast to topple again. It was unable to move its other leg to kick Hugh away this time; most likely because of Karah's paralytic weapon. Hugh let out a fierce roar as he brought his great sword down on the beast's neck, almost completely severing its head with one blow!

Hugh let out a short breath before rushing over to where Karah lay. He shook her a few times, trying to awaken her. "Hey, Karah, you alright? Up and at 'em, lady!" She quickly opened her eyes and gasped before lashing out with her leg, kicking him between the legs! Hugh fell back in pain and surprise.

Karah blinked twice before realizing what she had just done. "Oh my God! Hugh, are you alright? I'm so sorry!"

"Oww… Yeah, I'll live," he groaned. "At least I had armor on this time." Karah gave him a potion before helping him up, and the two went over to the Great Baggi's corpse. "Wow, Hugh, you really did a number on this thing," Karah said, impressed at the massive gash in the monsters neck. "I aim to please," Hugh replied with a grin. The two began carving the massive beast, before Karah let out an exasperated sigh. "I've checked everywhere; there isn't a single gem on the damn thing!"

"Here, catch." Hugh tossed her a small object, which she quickly caught. Karah opened her hand and saw the glittering blue gemstone it held! "Wha- Hugh! How did you find this?"

He laughed before pointing at the Baggi's head. "Sometimes those gems grow in weird places," he said with a shrug. "Truthfully, I'm just really lucky when it comes to finding rare monster parts."

Karah looked at the rare gem in her hand before turning to Hugh. "I can't take this, you found it," she said, holding it out to him. Hugh raised his hand. "It's alright, keep it. I think I've already found a much more valuable gem," He said with a grin.

Karah blushed at Hugh's compliment, but still smiled warmly at him. He had a pretty goofy smile on his face too; he wasn't used to that kind of reaction. The two headed back to base camp, laughing the whole way.

_What can I say? I felt bad for the guy._


	14. Chapter 14- Night

Chapter 14-Night

York sat on the roof of his home, staring out at the full moon over the sea. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and the stars were shining brilliantly. The only sound that could be heard was the splashing of water against the support beams underneath the village. He was twirling a small coin around his fingers. He accidently dropped the coin as he heard footsteps behind him, and it rolled off into the ocean.

"York? What're you doing up here?" He turned to see Rose standing near the ladder leading to the roof. "Oh, hey Rose. Nothing much, I just couldn't sleep." Rose walked over to where he was before sitting down next to him. "Why not?" she asked.

"Dunno. I was just having a hard time keeping my eyes closed, I guess."

In truth, York had had the same dream as before, with the village destroyed and blood filling the sea. He was contemplating whether or not it actually meant something; it was just a dream, but the voice he heard seemed to hold so much power. Rose must've known something else was the matter, because she pressed a bit further.

"Oh, come on, York. If I know anything about you, it's that almost nothing can keep you from sleeping. Did you have a bad dream or something? Was it the… the Nargacuga?" she worriedly asked.

"No, nothing like that. I just… saw the village, completely destroyed. Everything was on fire, and the ocean was full of blood," he said. York left out the part about the voice; he didn't even know what it could signify.

Rose had a worried expression on her face. "I can see why you couldn't sleep. It must have been horrible…" She rested her arm across his back, laying her hand on his right shoulder. Even through the cloth shirt he wore, the scar he had was fairly noticeable. He twinged a bit at the touch; even after all those years, the wound still hurt.

"York, can I ask you something?" Rose said. "Sure, I guess. What is it, Rose?" "Where are you from? I don't even know that much about you. Pretty much everything from before training school is still a complete mystery to me."

York continued to stare out across the sea. He was silent for a moment, before he replied. "I'm from a small village out in the western mountain range. Pretty much my whole life there was spent trying to figure out the quickest way to leave; I hated it there."

"Why? It doesn't sound like it would be that bad, maybe a bit isolated," she said. York let out a long sigh. "Let's just say I didn't really agree with anyone who lived there. Luckily for me, the whole place was leveled when I was sixteen. That's when I went out to Pinleaf to become a hunter."

"What about your family? Don't you miss them?" Rose asked, looking straight into his eyes. "I never even knew them. Apparently, my parents left me in the village before going off on their merry way," York said with an edge to his voice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Rose began, but York cut her off. "No, it's fine. Better I get it off my chest now, anyways."

The two sat in silence for a moment, before Rose spoke up. "You know, you never told me exactly why you didn't like your hometown. What didn't you agree with the others on?"

York had a serious look on his face for a moment but it quickly turned into a grin. "Rose, the day you find that out is the day Hugh gets a girlfriend." Rose could tell it was something he wasn't ready to talk about yet.

Rose smiled at him before she got to her feet; she didn't know how much time had passed during their conversation. "Try to get some sleep, York. I'll see you in the morning," Rose said, turning towards the ladder.

"Rose?" She turned to York, who was once again looking out across the sea. "Thanks. For hearing me out, I mean." She smiled before replying. "Don't mention it. Good night, York." "Night, Rose."


	15. Chapter 15-Truth

_I found this chapter to be a real roller coaster to write. Still, it's one of my favorites, at the very least. Hope you enjoy this one!_

Chapter 15-Truth

Despite the events of the previous night, York was able to get a few hours of sleep. He was awoken by Dustin, who wanted to know whether or not they would be heading out to the woods today. After getting ready, the two headed out to the tavern; Rose was sleeping in today, and had told them she would get ready in a little bit.

"So, I haven't actually eaten anything at the tavern. Is the food any good?" Dustin asked York. "Sure it is, although it's hard to go back to after eating Rose's cooking." Since Rose wasn't up yet, the two were getting breakfast at the tavern. Dustin agreed with York; it wasn't that the food was bad, it was just that Rose's home cooking was too good.

"So, let's see what the woods have in store for us today," York said after finishing the wyvern egg omelet he ordered. "From the looks of it, the most we're going to run into today is a Qurupeco. Not bad, I guess. It'll be a good way to introduce you to flying monsters."

"It looks kinda weird. Is it a monster or a parrot?" Dustin asked, inspecting the picture posted by the report. "Well, a parrot with the ability to create fireballs, at least," York replied. "Wait, what?" Dustin said, surprised. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope. Better watch out, though. It also has the ability to call other monsters by mimicking their roars, so we might run into something else that isn't in the forecast."

"Huh. I do hope you don't plan on staying back and watching this time. Is Zeph able to make it?" Dustin inquired.

"No, he actually had some business in Loc Lac, so we won't be seeing him for another few days or so. Hugh left on a quest yesterday, but he should be back sometime today. So, that leaves you, me, and Rose." York stated.

"Alright, I guess we better start getting prepared then." The two left the tavern, heading back to their house. York quickly donned his armor, pulling at the sleeves a bit to make them more comfortable. He attached the steel bracer to his left wrist. "_Guess it's better to be safe than sorry,"_ he thought, looking at the small extra portion on the bottom of the brace. "_I wonder if Rose is up yet."_ York climbed the stairs to her room and knocked on the door.

"Hey, Rose, you ready yet? Dustin and I are pretty much set." He couldn't tell what her response was, so he figured she was probably still asleep. He opened her door, intending to get her out of bed.

"Rose, come on, it's time to-" He immediately shut up as he noticed her wet hair, and the fact that she was just barely wrapping a towel around herself. She turned and gave him a death glare; he quickly shut the door and went downstairs. How could he have forgotten that she bathed every morning?

"Dustin?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I may not end up living to see the end of the day. If that be the case, bury me with my armor and my axe; I really don't want anybody else to have those."

"Wait, why won't you-" York quickly bolted out the door, taking off towards the woods at a frantic speed.

"What the hell?" Dustin thought aloud. He heard the door to Rose's room open, and just barely managed to avoid her as she sprinted past him, wearing her Barioth armor. "**YORK, GET THE HELL BACK HERE!**" she yelled, sprinting off after him.

Dustin stood in the doorway for a moment before sighing. "_It's been, what? Three or four days? I still don't have a clue about either of them," _he thought to himself before heading after York and Rose.

York came to a stop on a small path. There were bushes on either side of him, and a number of trees were sprawled throughout the area. _"This should be safe enough,_" he thought, gasping for air. "_Now to find a hiding place before-_"

"**YORK!**"

He turned just in time to see Rose charging straight at him! "Holy shi-!" Was all he could get off before she tackled him to the ground. Rose began screaming at him while beating his chest.

"What the hell were you thinking!? I told you NOT to come in! You don't just walk into a girl's room without permission!"

"Ow! Ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Ow, not the face!"

York thought he heard something like laughter coming from the bushes, but that was probably Dustin, who had caught up to the two of them and was witnessing the whole affair.

Eventually, Rose got off of York, and Dustin helped him to his feet. Thankfully, his armor was effective against impact, so he wasn't too sore, but Rose was still ferocious when she was mad.

"Okay, did he really deserve that?" Dustin asked her.

York quickly answered before a still fuming Rose could go at him too. "Yes, yes I did. And if you favor having your head attached to your neck, you will never ask her that again."

Suddenly, bowgun fire sounded from all around them! There was almost no time to react, but Dustin dove off to the side while York covered Rose, who was caught unawares. A paralysis round hit her square in the back, immobilizing her, and another struck York's right arm! Dustin didn't fare much better, getting hit in the face by a sleep round and collapsing.

Three hunters garbed in Wroggi armor appeared then from the bushes. One of them, the leader from the looks of it, ordered the other two to grab York's arms. The paralysis didn't affect him as nearly much as it did Rose, on account of the spongy layer of his armor, but he still found moving his arm to be difficult.

The leader laughed before stepping forward. He had piercing yellow eyes, but that was all York could tell, as the man had his face covered. A symbol of a black dragon was embroidered onto his hat. "So, this is York, eh? Never thought I'd see someone like you getting beat down by a woman."

"Who the hell are you?!" York shouted back, still trying to regain feeling in his arm while struggling against the men who held him in place.

"ME? I think a more interesting topic is who are YOU." The man laughed again, a sinister cackle that almost reeked of madness.

"You see York, the people I work for; they do a lot of digging to find out about our targets. I have to say, yours is a most interesting past."

York went wide eyed; how could anyone know about his past? There wasn't anything left!

"Trained from a young age to be a cold-blooded killer in the mountain village of Crez. Apparently, you first killed a human being when you were seven; a retired old hunter, I believe. Oh, and my personal favorite; _**the sole reason the village no longer exists**__."_

Rose was still unable to move, but she was utterly taken aback by what she heard. "_York's a killer? That's what he didn't want to tell me?_"

"Is it not true?" The masked man asked, almost accusingly. "Because if it is, we could definitely use someone like you in our organization. After all, you have all the qualifications to join us. It's what you were trained for. The Order of the Black Dragon wants you back, York. What say you?"

York was silent for a while, and Rose was worried; she couldn't see his face, couldn't tell what was going through his mind.

Suddenly, York spoke up. His voice was filled with a controlled rage. "I took an oath that day. To never kill without reason again. To protect all that I hold dear. And most importantly, to stop the followers of the bloody cult that damn village had!"

He wrenched his right arm free of the first man's grip, grabbing a small pin on his left bracer in the process! "What the hell do you THINK my answer is!?"

He pulled the pin out, and a thin black blade sprang out from his bracer! The blade went clean through the second man's chest, before York pulled it free and quickly slashed the first man's throat.

The leader made for his bowgun, but wasn't quick enough and was quickly stabbed in the abdomen by York! York quickly drew his tomahawk and buried it in the man's chest, slamming him into the ground. He let out a pained groan, blood staining the yellow armor he wore.

"Who do you work for? Speak!" York demanded. The man simply let out a short, pained laugh. "You already know him; find out for yourself…" Knowing he wouldn't get anymore information from the man, York stabbed him in the neck, quickly ending him. He pulled the blade back into his brace with a second pin, and placed his carbalite axe back into his belt.

Rose was on her feet by now, while Dustin was just beginning to stir. "York?" she asked, beginning to walk towards him. He didn't respond; instead, he ran up a fallen log, before jumping into the tree branches and disappearing from sight. "York! Wait!"

Dustin had woken up completely then. He looked around at the carnage, before speaking. "What happened? Where's York?"

"Dustin, head back to the village. Tell the Guild members that there was an attack out in the woods. I need to go after York."

"Is he alright?" Dustin asked, worried.

"I hope so…"

_Like I said, it was a real roller coaster, am I right? I also got to feature York's version of the hidden blade this chapter; if you hadn't noticed by now, he's basically wearing Assassin's Creed robes made from monster parts. What can I say; Monster Hunter + Assassin's Creed = endless possibilities._


	16. Chapter 16-Pursuit

_Hello again for the umpteenth time! So, I finally learned how to insert a line to help separate the parts of a chapter. Turns out, I just had to click the horizontal line button. Hurray for the powers of observation! And on that note, on with the story!_

Chapter 16-Pursuit

York rushed through the trees, leaping from branch to branch with impressive dexterity. He didn't know why he was running; he wasn't sure if it was because he couldn't face Rose after she learned about his dark past, or if it was just to try and escape the haunting memories of his earlier years.

Memories he had long tried to forget suddenly came flooding back to him; the corpses of those he killed, whether by choice or not, lay out in front of him. The horrified expressions of those innocents he was forced to slaughter for the people of Crez and their bloody rituals. He remembered how he completely lost himself that day, massacring every inhabitant of that cursed village before burning the place to the ground.

York stopped in a branch for a moment, before raising his head and bellowing towards the sky; it was a cry of sorrow, remorse, and agony for his past atrocities.

* * *

Rose heard the yell sound far out in front of her. "Dustin, this way!"

The young hunter nodded, and the two dashed off towards the sound. Dustin had returned with two men garbed in guild uniforms, who stayed behind at the scene to investigate. Rose had pursued York, but was at a loss as to where he had gone; she was much faster than him, but even she couldn't keep up with him in the trees. Dustin caught up to her as she was calling for York, and not long after they heard his loud cry echo far.

The two ran in the direction of where York was, hoping to catch up to him before he lost them again. They arrived in a small clearing in the woods and began frantically searching for York.

Suddenly, they heard the thumping of wings and a strange honking noise. Rose turned quickly as a large, colorful monster descended towards them at a swift speed! "Dustin, look out! It's a Qurupeco!" She quickly drew her bow and loosed an arrow at the beast, piercing its wing as it landed. _"Crap, we don't have time for this!_ Rose thought to herself.

Dustin had drawn his swords and was moving to attack the winged monster, but it turned quickly, striking him with its tail. The dual sword user was sent skidding across the ground as the beast lunged at Rose, striking the flints on its wings together and creating sparks. Rose quickly jumped out of the way, just before a flash of heat and light erupted from the bird's beak!

She quickly recovered and, gripping an arrow in her right hand, stabbed the beast in the chest! It was a shallow wound, though, and Rose was sent flying when the Qurupeco kicked her. Dustin had by then recovered, and quickly slashed the monster a few times before being forced to evade another one of its fireballs.

Suddenly, the Qurupeco's vocal sac filled up, and it began to release a loud bellowing roar, completely unlike anything it normally made! Rose didn't have enough time to shoot the monsters throat; her bow landed a few feet from her, and she couldn't reach it in time to stop the monster from calling for help.

However, she didn't need to. Without warning, a throwing knife flew out of the trees, piercing straight through the inflated sac! The bird screeched in surprise before it began to struggle; the knife must've been coated in a paralytic toxin. Rose quickly turned in the direction the knife had come from, and caught a glimpse of a white figure darting away in the trees.

"Dustin! Finish it off! I need to go after York!" she said quickly, before running off in pursuit of her partner. "Wait, Rose! Bah, what the hell is going on with everyone today!?" He said, before rushing at the struggling Qurupeco.

* * *

"York, please, just wait a minute!" Rose called after him, but he didn't hear her. York kept going, swinging from a branch before propelling him forward again, and landing on a thick limb.

Eventually, Rose's voice grew distant, and he slowed to a stop before jumping down into a small clearing. He sat against a tree, exhausted from both his physical exertion and the memories that had come flooding back to him. He had calmed down somewhat by then. _I don't care what they might think; even if I was a killer, I won't just abandon them._ York thought to himself. _I just don't know if they'll understand, though. Maybe I should leave..._ A sound pulled him from his thoughts._ York_ began to look around the area; a few kelbi darted out across the clearing, running from some unseen threat.

York saw what they had been running from as a Royal Ludroth burst into the clearing! It was looking for the source of the sound it had heard earlier, but wasn't able to locate it. The leviathan turned and saw York, who had stood up by then. It eyed him warily before roaring at him.

York didn't even flinch; he merely drew his swords before glaring at the aquatic monster. "I'm in a real bad mood right now. You want some? Come and get it," he said to the beast as it lunged at him.

* * *

"Did you find him?" Hugh asked Rose, as she returned to the clearing Dustin had fought the Qurupeco in. Dustin had finished the bird off a little bit beforehand, and was still tired from the battle. Hugh had arrived at the clearing with a black haired huntress; he had heard Dustin earlier at the tavern, and rushed out after the Guild members when they ran out to the woods.

"No… I saw him running in the trees, but I couldn't keep up with him…" "Did something happen to him?" the black haired huntress, Karah, asked.

Rose didn't tell the others about what she had learned about York; it wasn't her place to say, and she was worried about how the others might take learning that their friend was raised to be a killer. "I don't know. We were attacked by a few masked men in the woods, and York killed them. After that, he took off into the trees."

"There must be more to it than that," Hugh said with a frown. "I know York, and he isn't one to freak out like that."

"The men tried to recruit him to some organization, that's all I know. It could be the same people who have been abducting hunters recently," Rose pointed out.

"I heard a bit about that," Karah said. "Will he be alright out here on his own, though? We don't know how many of those guys are out here."

Dustin spoke up this time. "Well, I may be a bit out of the loop here, but I think it's safe to say that those were the only ones. It would make sense to move in a smaller group, right?"

"That may be true, but even then, we should stay on guard. York will come back, that much I know," Hugh said. "It's pointless searching for him out here anyways. There's too much ground to cover, and too little time to cover it. The investigators have already gone back as well. We should get back to the village before nightfall."

Rose didn't like the idea, but she had to go along with the others; it was too dangerous to search for York at night. It would be best to just wait for him to calm down a bit. The hunters turned towards the direction of the village before heading back home. Rose couldn't help but worry about him though.

"_Please be okay, York…"_


	17. Chapter 17- Choices

Chapter 17-Choices

Rose sat on the roof, looking out towards the sea. It was a night just like the previous, with the stars shining brightly and the moon casting a dim light across the village. She was worried about York; not just because of the monsters in the woods, but also because of his reactions to the men who had attacked them.

"_I can see why he didn't want to talk about it last night,"_ she thought to herself, still gazing across the calm ocean. "_I don't believe he's like that, though. I know York, and no matter what his past is like, he isn't a bad person."_

She recalled the first day she met York, back when they were still at training school in Pinleaf village. A bunch of guys had been harassing her for wanting to be a hunter. "_This is a guy's job," they had mocked. "You don't belong here. Girls should just stay at home and let the men be hunters." _

_York suddenly stepped between her and the four guys that had been insulting her. "You got a problem, bud? Move outta the way, before we have to get rough with you," one of them said._

_Without a word he punched the guy straight between the eyes! The others tried to attack him, but York easily beat them all down. "Maybe instead of going around bugging people about their career, you should work on bettering yourselves, asshole." York spat at the group before they ran off. He turned to face Rose after a moment._

"_Are you alright? Those guys looked like they were getting to you." Rose stared at him wide eyed before shaking her head. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks. Who are you?" she asked. "The name's York. How about you?" "I'm Rose," she stated, blushing a little._

_York smiled before speaking. "Well, Rose, what do you say about being my hunting partner? I think we'd be a great team."_

"_Really? Sure, why not?" she said, amazed at how forward he was._

The two had been at the top of their class, easily breaking records on monster slaying tests and improving their abilities all the way. Hugh and Zephyr were usually right behind them, but instead of hating each other, they formed a close knit group. That didn't stop them from competing with each other, though.

Rose still remembered some of the pranks they had pulled on Instructor Epplin as well. One time, they actually knocked the floor out from underneath their teacher, who tumbled into the basement storage area below! The four of them often had to stay after dismissal for a lecture about respect.

"_You four have got to be the most confusing people I have ever met! How the hell do you manage to stay at the top of the class while doing crap like this?" he had shouted at them. York simply shrugged_ _and said "I dunno. Maybe we aren't learning from you."_

Rose had laughed at the time, but she didn't think about what it had meant until now. A loud thud and a grunt pulled her out of her thoughts. She quickly turned around to face the source of the noise, getting to her feet at the same time.

"Did ya miss me?"

There, with his hood back, stood York. A cut ran across the left side of his face, and blood still flowed from the wound. He looked exhausted, but Rose was more relieved that he was okay.

"York! Are you alright?" She asked rushing over to where he was, as he tiredly sat down.

"Agh, not entirely, but I'll live. At least, just so long as you don't decide to throw me off the roof for walking in on you earlier," he said through gritted teeth. Rose sighed in relief; it was York alright. "Don't worry about that. I'm just glad that you're back safely."

York looked up at her with his clear blue eyes. "Well, for a while at least. I don't think I can stay in Moga, Rose."

The words hit her like a wall. "What?! You can't mean that!" York had a solemn look on his face. "I don't know how everyone will take it if they learn about my past. It's only a matter of time before word gets out that York the hunter was a bloody murderer at the age of seven."

"It won't matter! That's in the past! You've changed, York!" she was pleading. York couldn't leave, he just couldn't!

York just sighed. "Even so, it would still make people suspicious. They'd start spreading more rumors until I was run out of town, so why stay?"

"You told me yourself that you never believed in what that village made you do! Isn't that why you left? Why you destroyed the place? If anything, York, you should be praised as a hero!" she said, desperately trying to change his mind.

York sat with a contemplative look on his weary face. "I just don't know, Rose. I don't want you or the others to get caught up in this if worst comes to worst."

"I don't care if I do!" she said. "If you leave, then I'll follow you. I won't abandon you York. You mean too much to me! I…" she paused for a minute, uncertain if revealing how she truly felt would keep York from leaving. In a voice just barely above a whisper, she said;

"I love you, York."

If York was surprised, he did a pretty good job of hiding it. Rose was uncertain what he was thinking, but he seemed torn between his thoughts. Suddenly, his determined expression returned and he stood up.

"Well Rose, You've left me with two options." Rose's heart fell a little; did he not feel the same way?

"One, I can take off and leave everything behind in order to escape the potential for a bad scenario. Or two, I can do this."

York suddenly grabbed her shoulders and pulled Rose close, kissing her passionately. Rose was completely surprised, but quickly returned the sentiment. She fell towards him, her hands resting on his chest. They stood there for a few moments, holding each other. Eventually, York pulled away, and Rose looked straight into his eyes.

"It seemed to be a much better decision, wouldn't you agree?" he said with a short laugh. Rose smiled and hugged him, glad that he was back to his old self. "Don't worry, York. Nothing bad will happen. You've done too much good around here for them to turn on you."

"Thanks , Rose. I'll be here for you, no matter what. Now, if you don't mind, could you ease up a little? I think I may have a broken rib or two."

It wasn't until then that Rose fully realized just how beat up York was. Besides the cut on his face, he stood with a limp, a large gash visible on the side of his leg. There was also a deep cut in his left arm, which he grasped with his hand to try and slow the bleeding.

"Oh my god, York, what happened!?" she asked, horrified. "I had a bit of a run in with a Royal Ludroth. Ever been tackled by one of those things? It ain't pretty. But I'd say it's far worse off than me."

Rose helped him inside before dressing his wounds and giving him a potion. Although he still grimaced in pain, he was looking much better than before.

"Only question left now is how to explain to the others what happened," York said, feeling at the cut on his face. He suddenly grinned. "I think we also need a way to explain or new relationship to Hugh. He won't get enough of this."

Rose laughed a little, before saying to him. "Actually, Hugh might have just as hard a time explaining his relationship to you. He hooked up with a huntress named Karah."

York had the strangest expression on his face. "Hugh? As in, worst-ladies-man-ever Hugh? Now I've heard it all. When did this happen?"

"Just yesterday, actually. Why?"

"Remember what I said last night? The day Hugh gets a girlfriend is the day you learn about my past? How is this not coincidental?" York said, rather puzzled.

Rose laughed, recalling the conversation. He was right; it was almost funny how ironic it all was.

She leaned her head against his shoulder while they sat on the end of his bed. "I'm glad you decided to stay, York."

"Believe me, so am I. It was either this, or I go out and become a friggin' hermit or something. Can you imagine that?" he said, smirking.

The couple laughed before Rose went up to her room, and York fell back onto his bed, his weariness overcoming him.

* * *

_I'm fairly certain every single one of you saw this coming, but hey, it worked. I decided a bit of backstory would help out as well; considering they've technically known each other for years, it makes sense to write about things that occurred in the past. Lastly, for the sick minded out there(it IS the internet, after all), I'm going to keep this story T-rated; try your luck elsewhere if you're looking for... 'special' stories._


	18. Chapter 18-Plots

Chapter 18-Plots

A man in black armor sat on a throne within a dark chamber. Torches lit the room, but the darkness of his armor seemed to absorb the light when it came near him. A large sword inscribed with an ancient text was stuck in the floor next to the throne to his right.

One of his guards, dressed in a dull green and black armor, opened the large doors as another man entered the room. He was dressed in Nargacuga mail, with swords made from the same materials slung across his back. His most striking features, though, were his glowing red eyes; they seemed to be almost the exact same as the monster's he resembled.

The man walked swiftly and silently towards the throne before bowing before it.

"What news do you bring me? Was the mission successful?" the man in black armor asked, his powerful voice seemed to have an almost demonic quality to it.

"No. The three we sent to capture York were all eliminated. Just as I predicted," the red eyed man answered. "York is too skilled to be captured normally. Such is the way of those from Crez."

Although the black armored man's face was hidden by his helm, the fury he felt seemed to exude from him. "What!?" He stood, and grabbing the handle of his sword, pulled it from the ground. With inhuman strength, he buried the blade in a nearby pillar, shaking the room.

"Damn him… If that be the case, we'll need to try something different." The man wrenched the sword from the pillar, before returning to his throne. "Since it seems clear we won't be able to make York join us, we'll just have to eliminate him instead. Find out where he will be heading next, and have one of the Riders ambush him. Zeal, I trust you will be able to follow through with this?"

The man dressed in Nargacuga mail stood, his eyes leaving a trail of red. "Of course. Your will is my command."

"Good… While he's being dealt with, have his home searched for anything we can use as well. Designs, information, anything!"

"It will be done."

* * *

York grunted in pain as he massaged his right arm; he still ached from the events of a few days ago. The doctor had informed him that while there was nothing too serious, he should refrain from hunting for the next week.

He sat on the end of the bed that Dustin usually slept on, with Rose to his right. Hugh, Karah, Zephyr, and Dustin were all standing around the living room and looking at him intently. He had told them about his actions, and the circumstances of his past. Fortunately, everyone seemed understanding enough, so it was pretty easy to explain. He had been uneasy about telling Karah, but Hugh insisted that she be informed as well.

"So, what, you were trained to be an assassin or something?" she asked.

"I guess that sounds better than blood-thirsty cultist, but yeah. Crez had some weird religion that followed a dragon. Its inhabitants believed that their kills would be 'sacrifices' to their 'god.'" York explained. "Of course, I didn't buy any of that bull crap, which is why I made sure to destroy the place; the people were savages."

Karah nodded slowly, taking in all the information she had learned. "Well, personally, I don't care that much about your past," Hugh suddenly interjected. "I've known you since training school, and not one thing you've done since then would prove you to be a killer." "I agree. There isn't anyone else I trust more than you," Zephyr added. Dustin also agreed.

York sighed in relief; at least his friends were all still behind him. "Thanks for understanding, guys." He then turned to Dustin. "Well, Dust, since I'm out of commission for the next few days, I asked Zephyr if he would fill in as your trainer."

Dustin blinked in surprise; when did York have time to do that without him noticing? "You're fine with that, right?" "Yeah, I don't see a problem with it."

"I also have a bit of good news for you. The hunter's exam is coming up in Loc Lac, and I think you're more than ready for it." The young hunters face lit up at the remark. "However, in order for you to be able to apply, you need to have at least three confirmed kills of large monsters. So, here's what I propose. You still need experience fighting leviathans, which Zeph is rather good at. There should be a Royal Ludroth out in the woods; you'll know it when you see it."

Rose spoke up almost immediately. "You want them to fight the one you ran into a few days ago?" "Almost. I want them to _kill_ the one I ran into a few days ago."

Zephyr nodded before motioning to Dustin. "Alright, come on, kid. I think it's time we went fishing." "Hold up a sec, Dustin, catch!"

York tossed his apprentice an object wrapped in cloth. "Use those; I think you might like them."

Dustin slowly unwrapped the cloth, revealing a pair of gleaming red dual swords! They seemed to expel heat; they were incredibly sharp as well. "I asked Lumin to upgrade your weapons yesterday. Fortunately, I had some spare Agnaktor parts lying around. That little grouch can sure work a forge when he wants to."

Dustin quickly rushed over to him and gave York a massive bear hug! "Ow, ow! Watch the ribs!" "Thanks a ton York! Let's go, Zeph!"

The two walked out the door and began to make their way towards the woods, leaving York, Rose, Hugh, and Karah alone.

"Damn, York, I never knew you to be one to spend that much money on someone besides Rose," Hugh grinned. "Hey, the kid needed a better pair of swords. It's not like I needed to keep those parts anyways," he replied, wincing a bit at his injuries.

Rose laughed before adding, "Plus, I told him to clean out his equipment chest while he's resting. You wouldn't believe the things he had stowed away in there!"

"And I'm guessing that you're going to want me to make that Rathian Ruby you took into a necklace or something?" York asked, turning to face her. She simply smiled. "Yup!"

The four laughed before Hugh and Karah departed, leaving just York and Rose. "Well, I suppose I'd better get to work fixing up my armor," York said, starting to rise. Rose quickly pushed him back down, though. "Oh no you don't. You said we'd go into the market today and trade with the merchants!"

"Wait, when did I say that?" York asked. "You didn't, but I'm making you come with me anyways. Come on, let's go!" Rose said, pulling York to his feet. He let out a short sigh. "Well, I guess I should start expecting this to happen more," he said, grabbing his steel bracer. Rose looked at it as he attached the brace to his wrist.

"So, that's what you did with the Nargacuga's tailspike?" she asked. "Yeah, it was too thin to use for anything else, but the blade is almost completely unbreakable. Guess something good came out of that encounter after all," York replied.

"Still, are you sure you'll need that? We're just going into the market."

"Better to be prepared, Rose. I don't think that was the last of those people we'll be seeing."

* * *

_So, that's the first look at the villains! At this point, I have over 30 chapters completed, so I'm going to go ahead and post the next group. Thanks for reading, Ihope it's been enjoyable so far!_


	19. Chapter 19-Buyer Beware

Chapter 19-Buyer Beware

"Ow, Rose, slow down! Stop pulling me!" York said.

They had just arrived in the market, and Rose was eagerly dragging York behind her, trying to see all the merchandise. The place was bustling with activity, as a ship bringing new merchants and their wares had just arrived.

"Come on, York! Look at everything! Not even half this stuff was here a week ago!" she exclaimed, practically jumping up in down in excitement.

"I get that, but that's no reason to try and tear my arm off!" he replied, rubbing his still sore shoulder.

"Hey, what's that?" she said, pulling him towards one of the stalls. "Ow! What did I just say!?"

* * *

Dustin and Zephyr were walking cautiously on a beach by the water's edge. "Now Dustin, leviathans like the Royal Ludroth prefer areas by the water. I'd imagine the one we're looking for is resting on land somewhere, if York's description is accurate."

York had said the creature they were looking for was pretty badly injured by the time he drove it off. "So, should we check inside one of these caves?" the young hunter said, pointing out several holes near the ground. "It would make the most sense for it to be hiding out in a safe place," Dustin remarked.

"Good, using your head! Yes, it will most likely be in one of these. One more thing, though; try to keep it from going into the water. Leviathans are much harder to fight when in their natural habitat," Zephyr said.

Dustin nodded before the two made their way into one of the tunnels. Dustin drew his swords; the blades seemed to cast a glow within the cave, making it easier to see. Dustin was impressed by the sword; looked like they had more uses than just killing monsters.

A sound from deeper in the cave drew their attention, and Zephyr drew his long sword. It's pale white blade reflected the light impressively, and just Dustin's blades expelled heat, his seemed to make everything colder.

"Go figure. Looks like we may have found our monster already," Zephyr stated with an amused tone. "Get ready Dustin. A cornered beast is much more dangerous than normal."

Dustin didn't even have time to respond as a massive yellow creature leapt at them! The hunters jumped to either side, barely avoiding the Royal Ludroth. Dustin turned to face the creature, but it was focused on Zephyr; he could easily tell why, one of its eyes had been cut out! Not only that, but numerous barely-healed sword wounds covered its body, and some of its spongy hide had been sliced off. "_He wasn't kidding. York really did a number on this thing,"_ Dustin thought.

Zephyr had been busy evading the creature while occasionally striking it with his sword. Each hit seemed to freeze as he cut the creature, inflicting more pain on it. Dustin caught up to it, and quickly slashed the amphibian's hind leg. It roared in pain as flames exploded from the newly inflicted wound, and it turned quickly to face Dustin. The sudden action sent Zephyr reeling, as he had been struck by the Ludroth's tail as it turned.

Dustin jumped to the left as the creature swung its claw at him, just barely avoiding the sharp edges. He quickly retaliated, cutting the monster's arm. It was a shallow wound, but the burns his weapon caused inflicted immense pain. Suddenly, the Ludroth lunged forward, although it wasn't to attack.

Zephyr had cleaved the leviathan's tail off with a single swing! "Always try and remove the tail first, Dustin!" he yelled over the monsters pained roars. Dustin moved to attack the creature's belly, but was sent back by a struggled kick. He recovered just in time to avoid another tackle from the Ludroth. Zephyr again moved to attack, but rolled out of the way as the amphibious monster began to spit large amounts of a watery substance at him.

Dustin ran at the creature, and jumping in the air, impaled his right sword into the monster's back! He lost his grip as it shook in pain, and he was flung off the Royal Ludroth's back, hitting a wall in the process. Although the impact made him dizzy, Dustin forced himself to his feet.

Zephyr had been busy as well, cutting long slashes across the beast with his icy sword. However, the enraged beast began to slowly push him farther and farther back into the cave, where a large amount on water was.

Before it could reach the pond, Dustin rushed forward, and using the sword he had left stuck in the leviathan's back, launched himself over the monster! With a fierce battle cry, he stabbed his other blade into the Royal Ludroth's remaining eye! The beast struggled a bit before letting out a final, weak roar, and collapsed to the ground.

Dustin let out a sigh of relief once the creature lay dead before him. Zephyr laughed before coming up behind him and patting his shoulder. "You did good! That was something I don't think anyone but York would be crazy enough to try," he remarked with a grin. Dustin smiled at the praise before removing his swords from the dead Royal Ludroth. He carved a few claws and some of its spongy hide off before the two left the cave, victorious.

* * *

It had been about two hours since York and Rose arrived in the market, and he was walking with his shoulders low. Rose had been going on a shopping spree, buying a ton of new tools and items for herself. Of course, she was making York pay for most of it, so she wasn't in the least bit worried. York however, felt his near empty wallet before sighing. "_Damn, she's buying even more this time than usual! I'm going to have to sell some spare parts before I go bankrupt!" _he thought, sitting on a bench.

Something caught his eye, though, across the market center. A short man stood behind a stall, a variety of goods laid out in front of him. York saw Rose still looking around at several of the other merchandise, so he decided to check out the short man's goods.

"Well, hullo there, son. What are ya lookin' fer today?" the man asked. York was almost surprised at the question; the man had a variety of odd items for sale, from a statue of a Felyne carved out of dragonite ore to what appeared to be a pile of rusty sword shards.

"Nothing in particular, I was just looking around," York answered, gazing at something that looked like a spring powered grappling hook. Something in particular caught his eye, though. "What's this?" he asked, picking up a thin, shiny black stone.

"I ain't got much a clue meself. I picked that up a few days ago; a fella traded it to me fer some Dark Metal, if I can recall. Said it was 'an extremely rare good luck charm' or something. I don't see much value in it though, and neither do most other merchants. I'll sell it to ya cheap, if ya want it."

York looked at the object for a moment before deciding. "Ah, what the hell. I'll take it." He handed the short man a few coins before pocketing the stone, feeling its smooth texture. "_I wonder what it is?" _York thought to himself.

"Hey, York! Come over here! I found something really cool!" Rose yelled. York groaned before walking over to where she was waiting, no doubt wanting him to buy some other expensive item for her.


	20. Chapter 20-Downtime

Chapter 20-Downtime

"Thanks, York!" Rose said, kissing him on the cheek.

"You know, I still can't believe I bought you that lamp. It cost me nearly three hundred gold!" York answered. "Well, maybe if someone hadn't broken the last one, I wouldn't have needed this one!" "To be fair, if you hadn't socked me in the face, I wouldn't have broken it in the first place."

The two looked at each other for a minute before bursting out in laughter. "I still don't understand you two," Dustin suddenly said, poking his head in from the kitchen. "When did you get back? Did the hunt go well?" Rose asked.

Dustin response was to disappear into the kitchen. York and Rose looked at each other for a quick second, before a large object came crashing onto the floor in front of them! They jumped back in surprise, looking at the severed tail before them.

"Dammit, Dustin! Don't do that!" York yelled at his apprentice, who walked back in laughing. "Hey, I couldn't help it!" He responded.

"You shoulda seen the Royal Ludroth after Zephyr and I were done with it," Dustin continued. "Those swords you gave me really did a lot of damage." "Well, of course! Fire is effective against most leviathans," York said. "But I know for a fact that you didn't cut this tail off yourself. Which means that chances are, Zeph's here too."

Zephyr walked in from the kitchen as well, his signature smirk on his face. "Still as sharp as always, York. And before you ask, yes, I did cut the tail off, but no, I didn't kill the thing. Dustin did a rather spectacular job of that," he said. "Well? Don't just leave us hanging; tell us what happened!" Rose said, eager to hear the tale.

Before Dustin could begin, though, there was a knock on the door. York went to open it, but before he could Hugh burst in, followed by Karah. "Hey! I heard we're having Royal Ludroth tail for dinner!" he said. York and Rose both turned and looked at Zephyr accusingly. "Well, what could you expect?" Zephyr said, trying (and failing) to look innocent.

As Rose began to cook the tail, the rest of the party listened to Dustin and Zephyr's story about how they defeated the leviathan. After they were finished, York grinned. "You know, you guys are completely right; that is something I'm crazy enough to do!" They all laughed before Rose called them all in to the feast. Karah went wide-eyed at her first bite. "Oh my god! This has got to be the best food I've ever had!"

The group laughed again, while Rose thanked her new friend. York suddenly got up and went over to one of the walls. He opened a hidden cabinet, revealing a barrel of ale! "York, when did you put that in?" Rose asked, surprised. "Same time I built the house. You suggested it, remember?" he answered, pulling out a few tankards as well. "I just never told you about it so you wouldn't end up passing out every day."

Everyone got a tankard except Rose and Dustin, which Dustin resented. "How come I don't get any!?" "Because, Dustin, you're still underage. This stuff could kill ya!" Hugh answered with a laugh. "Well, what about me? I can drink!" Rose said, directed mainly at York.

"Which ended with me unconscious on the floor, and you with a broken lamp," York said, taking a quick swig. "You can have some of mine, if you want." Everyone laughed, and the unofficial party lasting well into the night. Zephyr left first, stating he had to prepare for a trip he was departing on tomorrow. Dustin crashed on his bed not long after, still tired from his earlier hunt.

York, Rose, Hugh, and Karah moved up to Rose's room at that point. They talked while on the balcony outside, which York had built to stargaze before Rose claimed the room. "You know, Hugh, I still find it hard to believe you managed to get together with someone," York said while leaning on the railing. "You, of all people!"

"I guess it just goes to show that there's someone for everyone, York!" he replied, grinning widely. The two didn't notice as Rose and Karah snuck up behind them. York suddenly noticed Hugh lurch forward, and with a surprised yelp, Hugh flipped over the railing before falling into the ocean below! York laughed at the sight before he too was suddenly flung into the sea by the girls, who stood on the balcony laughing and high-fiving.

"Wow Karah, and I thought I was bad!" Rose said. Karah laughed before saying "I think we both knew that had to happen!" York and Hugh scrambled up the ladder back onto the balcony, still gasping for air. "Ok, what the hell?" York asked Rose. "I buy you all that crap earlier and that's my thanks?"

Rose walked over to him before pulling him closer and kissing him. Hugh whistled at the sight, but was cut off when Karah smacked him on the back of the head! "Ow! Sorry!"

Unbeknownst to the four, they were being watched. A man with piercing red eyes stood with his arms crossed on the roof, intently staring at York.

"Enjoy your reprieve," the man said to himself. "It may be the last you ever have…"

York quickly turned and faced the roof. He thought he had heard something, but nothing was there. After watching for a moment, he turned and went inside along with the others. "_Guess I'm just seeing things,"_ he thought to himself.

Hugh and Karah helped them clean up the kitchen before departing. Rose had taken York's earlier suggestion, and was passed out on the table after drinking the rest of his ale. He simply sighed and carried her back up to her room and gently laid her on her bed. After pulling the covers over her, he quietly closed the door to her room and went downstairs, making sure not to wake Dustin either. He set the small black object he had purchased earlier on his table before laying on his bed.

"_Just exactly what is this?"_

* * *

_Yeah, this chapter was mainly just for fun. I'd equate it to a small college party. Don't worry; we'll get back in action soon!_


	21. Chapter 21-Departure

Chapter 21-Departure

Over the next few weeks, York spent his time to repairing his armor and modifying his dual swords, along with taking Dustin out to the woods for hunts. Dustin got to see first-hand just how impressive York's crafting skills were. It seemed like almost half the things York did shouldn't have even worked; somehow, he had managed to change the color of one of his swords by hitting it with a rare gem harvested from a Lagiacrus.

"Okay, now how did that even happen?" Dustin asked as York picked up his modified sword. The blade was a clear blue, just like York's eyes. It was originally one of the two Sworn Rapiers he usually used, but he modified the handle to use a hand guard that covered his fingers, and the blade curved slightly at the end.

"Hell if I know, I just thought it might do something," York responded casually, eyeing the blade. "Wait, you don't… you don't even know how you changed the sword's color? Do you even think any of the things you try will work?"

"No, because it's unbelievable when they do. I usually try to come up with a more complex explanation, but as it turns out most things I make are just from me hitting something the right way. Must be my magic touch," York said.

"Dustin, trust me, even I don't get how he does it sometimes," Rose said, walking into the cluttered living room. "Doesn't mean he can't make ordinary equipment either, though! York actually made my armor, too!"

"Which was deceptively hard. Rose wanted the normal design, but better protection," York explained. "I managed to actually make the armor resistant to most elements. It's lighter than normal, too. Never would have guessed that using monster fluid on an armor sphere would make it weigh less."

"What made you think to try that?" Dustin asked, growing more and more confused. "Actually, that was my fault," Rose said, smiling slightly. "I dropped a jar of it onto the armor spheres York was going to use."

"But what about his armor? That's not a standard design, and it sure as hell didn't get made from hitting something," Dustin continued. "This was the product of about a year's planning, and a few weeks hunting, and maybe a month total putting it together. See, if I plan it out, then I can make something really incredible. Take my bracer for example," York said, picking up the piece of armor. "I made a small blade that can spring out from the bracer when I pull this pin here." Dustin looked at it closely. "How will that help with a hunt, though? Against small monsters, sure, but something like a Rathalos?"

"This blade was made from the strongest, sharpest Nargacuga tailspike around. It can easily pierce scales and hides, but it's more of a last resort than anything. It's got a shorter reach than my other weapons, meaning I'd basically have to be as close as possible to do any real damage."

"So… why did you make it?" "You sure do ask a lot of questions, you know that?" York stated. "I made it so I would have something as a back-up weapon that I wouldn't have to carry. That good enough?" "I guess… But what about that thing?" Dustin said, pointing at an object in the corner of the room.

"That's a bit of a work in progress at this point. I'm working on a bowgun that doesn't use an external mechanism to fire," York said, picking the object up. "This part under the barrel slides back and forth to load a round in, like a pump. So far, I can only get it to fire pellet shots, but it packs a serious punch too. Any other questions?" "No, I think I'm good." Dustin replied, still somewhat confused.

"Good, because you need to finish getting ready to leave for Loc Lac. The Hunter's Exam is next week, you know." "Right, I have all my gear packed already." "Good, we'll move your things to the dock in a few minutes," York said.

"Is there a reason you aren't coming, York?" Dustin asked. York simply sighed. "I've already told you; it's not that I don't want to be there, it's that I'm not supposed to be there. The judges might find it suspicious if an apprentice's tutor is in the arena at the time. I don't want you to get disqualified. I'll be there after the exam for the celebration, along with most of the other mentors. Besides, I'm not completely throwing you out into the open. I've sent word to a… friend of mine in the city. He'll be able to show you around."

Rose suddenly went wide-eyed. "Wait… you don't mean… you don't mean Joshua, do you?" "Eh… yeah. I do," York replied, scratching the back of his head. Dustin had a nervous look on his face. "Is there something wrong with this guy?"

"No, not exactly. I wouldn't say it's what's wrong with him, it's… ah, screw it. He's a bit of a wacko, but he's a good guy. Kinda. Just don't agree to help him with anything, unless you want to get your face blown off." Dustin swallowed apprehensively. "Why are you friends with so many weird people?"

"Trust me, even I ask myself that sometimes. Come on; let's get your stuff to the boat. You'll definitely want to beat the crowd this time around; I hear only the first forty applicants will be able to participate this year," York said.

York, Dustin, and Rose moved Dustin's trunk to the boat he would be sailing on. The sailors on board were more than happy to help, one of them easily hefting Dustin's things into the cabin he would be staying in.

Dustin said his good-byes to the people he met around town who were seeing him off. York stopped him before he got on the boat.

"Dustin, let me give you a few pieces of advice. One, don't worry; you'll do fine. The test really isn't that bad. Two, don't go drinking. Hugh wasn't kidding when he said it could kill you. And three, don't do anything stupid. I don't want to show up and find out you failed because of bad conduct, got it?" "Yeah. I got it." " Good, now go kick some ass for me, kid."

Dustin nodded, then boarded the boat. Not long after, the final call was made, and his ship departed. York and Rose watched it sail off until it was barely visible. "So, what now?" Rose said, turning to face York. "What do you mean?" "Well, since we don't have to help Dustin out for a while, what should we do?"

"I guess we could see if there's anything going on at the tavern. Maybe old man Felix is there. I'd like to ask him about this thing I bought at the market the other day." Rose looked at York's hand, and the small black object it held. "That? What would Felix know about it?"

York shrugged. "Not sure. He's probably the only one around who might know something about it. He's seen all sorts of things, maybe even this. Can't hurt to check, right?"

"I suppose that makes sense. Maybe Hugh and Karah are there too. We should go on a hunt with them!" Rose said. "Alright, then let's go," York said, turning towards town.

He stopped when he saw a group of seven hunting fleet members waiting. York recognized three of them; the ones he beat up last time must've brought some friends. "Alright, bub, how do ya like yer chances now!?" one of the men yelled.

"Rose, if you don't mind, just wait on the edge of the dock for a sec. This shouldn't take long," York said as the sailors approached.

Rose sighed as she took a step back. The fleet members always tried to one up hunters, but these guys clearly didn't understand who they were messing with. "Alright, fine. But just don't get hurt, ok?"

"Rose, when have I ever gotten hurt in a fight with these guys?"


	22. Chapter 22-Pit Stop

_At this point, the story is going to be split between Dustin's journey to Loc Lac and York's adventures in Moga. Which means, Dustin's going to be making some friends! After all, the best hunters work in teams, right? _

Chapter 22- Pit Stop

"Move it! Coming through!"

Dustin ran over to the railing before vomiting over the side of the ship. Some of the sailors laughed while others at least expressed sympathy. He had been like this for the past few hours. Dustin had never been much for sailing; even on the ride to Moga, he had gotten sick at least four times.

The captain made an announcement to everyone on deck; the ship was to make one more stop before arriving at their destination, which they were now approaching. Dustin was able to ease his stomach enough to get a good look at it. It was a tiny village, with a dock that extended farther out into the sea.

One of the sailors stepped towards Dustin to help him. "How ya doin', kid? Still havin' trouble findin' your sea legs?" "Yeah, something like that," Dustin responded. The sailor held out a small red band with a small metallic bump on it. "Here, put this 'round your wrist. Make sure the bump is pressing against the inner arm."

Dustin did so, although he wasn't sure what it would do. The bump put a bit of pressure on his wrist, but nothing else was very noticeable. "That'll help ya keep from getting sick. It's a new thing from the city, I hear. Supposed to ease sickness using a steady pressure or somethin'. Me, I ain't much for science."

"Thanks, I guess," Dustin said. "We'll be stopped in this town for most of the day, so if ya want to, you can go ashore. Just make sure ya get back on the boat before we leave, got it?" Dustin nodded in acknowledgement. He was already feeling better, thankfully.

It only took about a half an hour for the sailors to tie the ship to the dock, and Dustin was one of the first to get off. He was excited; while the town certainly wasn't as busy as Moga, it was still a new place. There was a tavern near the docks, and a few other buildings were surrounding the small central market. Dustin decided to head to the tavern first; if anything, maybe he could see if any hunters lived in the area.

The tavern was fairly similar to the one in Moga, except it was much less crowded. To Dustin's disappointment, there were no hunters there; only the sailors and a few merchants. He went back out to the market, hoping that he might at least be able to get a souvenir. There were some interesting things for sale; one peculiar merchant was selling a few rare monster materials. Unfortunately, the cost was way too much for Dustin's wallet, so he had to move on.

He turned from the stall, intending to check some of the other merchant's wares, but collided with someone as he went! Dustin heard a short yelp as the girl he walked into fell to the ground, a large box spilling over behind her. "Are you okay?" He asked. "Sorry about that, I didn't see you there." He held out his hand to help her up, which she took. "It's okay, thanks."

She looked to be around Dustin's age, and but she was a few inches shorter than he was. The girl had long brown hair and hazel eyes, and a thin build. "Do you need some help with your stuff? Where are you…" Dustin trailed off when he noticed what was in the box. A few armor pieces had fallen out of the chest, and a bowgun stock was sticking out from the box as well.

"Are you a hunter?" Dustin asked. "Well, not exactly. I'm heading out to Loc Lac for the Hunter's Exam. Once I pass that, I'll be a hunter," the girl replied. She spoke softly and quietly; she seemed a bit shy, as far as Dustin could tell. "Go figure. That's where I'm headed too. Are you going by boat?" "I kinda have to. It's the only way off the island," she replied. Dustin hadn't realized just how dumb of a question that was. "Oh, uh, right. Anyways, do you need a hand getting your stuff to the boat?"

"Sure, if you don't mind. Beats carrying the thing by myself. Thanks, uh…" "Dustin. I'm Dustin," he said quickly. "What's your name?" "I'm Sally, but most people just call me Sal." She answered. Dustin helped Sal carry her equipment to the boat, where one of the sailors took the box and moved it into another cabin across from Dustin's.

"Is this your hometown?" Dustin asked her. "No, I'm from a village a bit farther south from here called Peason. I've been staying here for a few days waiting for the boat to Loc Lac," Sal responded. "What about you?" "Well, I'm from a town a few miles from Loc Lac, but I traveled to Moga Village for training. According to my mentor, I was more than ready for the exam, so he sent me off after a few weeks." Dustin could see Sal was beginning to open up a bit more; she seemed to be getting more comfortable talking to him, at least.

"Wow, that's funny. The woman I trained under, Jessie, said almost the exact same thing. Who did you train under, Dustin?" Sal asked. "His name's York. Great guy, if a bit snarky at times."

"Wait, did you say 'York'? Jessie said something about a guy named York. She said they went to the same training school, I think." "I don't know much about what York did at training school. I only know three people he attended with, and those were Hugh, Zephyr, and Rose. Any of those names ring a bell?" Dustin asked.

"The first two, no. But Rose? Oh yeah. Jess complained almost constantly about someone named Rose. I think she was a bit jealous, in fact." Dustin laughed to himself; seems York had a secret admirer! "Yeah, I lived with them for a while. Not gonna lie, it was a rather strange experience." "Them?" Sal asked. "Yeah, York and Rose. They live in the same house. Just started dating, actually." Sal went wide-eyed at that statement.

"I don't think I want to head back to Peason. Jess will definitely pitch a fit if she hears about this. She almost killed me when I asked about why this York guy was so great!" Dustin laughed. "Come on, it can't be that bad!" "Trust me, if you knew her, you'd understand. Anyways, let's get to the boat; I think we're setting sail soon."

Dustin hadn't even noticed how late into the day it had gotten. Sure enough, the sailors were heading back onto the ship, and the captain was making his final call. Dustin and Sally ran down the dock towards the gangway. Sally was fast; she easily beat Dustin by a good thirty seconds. The sailors pulled the gangway back onto the boat and began to shove off, and Dustin was forced to jump in order to make it onto the boat! He caught the rail with one hand before slamming into the side of the boat with the rest of his body. The impact winded him, but he held onto the boat tightly. One of the sailors, the one who gave him the sea sickness band, helped pull him back onto the boat.

"Almost left ya there, kid! I told ya to get back before we left! Better not make it a habit of bein' late!" Dustin thanked him as he recovered his breath. "Yeah, sorry about that." _Dammit, York! Now I'm following your example!_ Dustin thought to himself. Sally came over to where he was sitting, looking a bit apologetic. "Sorry about that. I shouldn't have left you behind like that," she said.

"Don't worry about it. We all made it on, didn't we?" Dustin answered. A voice suddenly sounded out from below deck. "'Ey! Where da hell's Larry gone to?!" Dustin and Sally looked over towards the source of the voice before turning back to each other. After a moment, they burst out laughing.


	23. Chapter 23-Scales

Chapter 23-Scales

"Argh! Not me arm again! Ow!"

York twisted the sailor's arm behind the man's back at an awkward angle before kicking him into the ocean. The other six were already waiting, groaning while trying to stay afloat. They began to slowly swim back to the dock after a few moments. York crossed his arms before speaking to them. "So, have you idiots learned your lesson yet, or will I have to beat the crap out of you every week or so?"

"Yes! Yes! We're done! But if you don't mind, could ya show me that flip-throw thing ya did sometime? That was impressive!" One of the sailors asked.

"Larry, shut up!" another one yelled. "Let's get outta here!"

The hunting fleet members ran off into town as Rose walked up to York. "You know, I still don't get why I worry about you when you get into fights, York. I've never seen anyone throw someone like that before!" she said, amazed. York smiled slightly. "Well, what can I say? I have experience."

The pair headed towards the tavern, which was surprisingly vacant when they arrived. Hugh and Karah were there, though, along with Felix. York and Rose went over to the table they were at and seated themselves. "So, how goes it, old man?" York asked. Felix smiled at the remark. "Still feel like calling me that, eh?"

"Just sayin' what you are," York replied sarcastically. "Well, Hugh here was just introducing his lady friend to me. I still remember his luck back when he was just startin' out!" Everyone laughed at the comment. Rose quickly got Hugh and Karah to go and check the quest board with her to see if there was anything that looked interesting, while York remained with Felix at the table.

"What's troubling you, York? You look like you have something you want to ask me," Felix said, studying York's expression. "Well, the other day I was at the market with Rose and I bought something from a merchant. He didn't know what it was, said it might be a good luck charm or something. I thought you might have a better idea." York pulled the black object from his pouch, and Felix suddenly went wide-eyed. "Do you have any idea what that is?!" he said in a low, fierce voice.

"No, that's why I'm asking you. Is it important?" York asked, keeping his own voice low. There weren't many people around, but he knew that what Felix was going to say was probably best kept as a secret. "York, that's no good luck charm. That's the scale of an Alatreon! One of the most ferocious elder dragons ever recorded!"

York was completely caught off guard by this. "Wait, what!? How do you know?" "Boy, I've studied that beast more than I'd like to admit. Met it myself, in fact. Destroyed the town I was in, gave me the scars on the side of my head," Felix answered, pointing to the three claw marks on his face.

"From what I know, the last one was killed by a small group of hunters about a year or two back. The Guild kept quiet about it, mainly because three of the hunters died and the last went mad. Still, that scale does not have any sort of luck tied to it. Keep it if you want, but personally, I'd rather you throw it off the dock."

York thought for a moment before answering. "I don't think I can just throw something this rare away. Maybe I'll use it for something later, but I will keep it." "That's your choice, York. I hope its the right one."

"Hey, York! I think we found something we can take!" Rose shouted from across the tavern. York got up and went over where she was standing before checking the board. "A Gigginox? You have got to be kidding me."

"Come on, York, read the report. This thing's been giving the people near the Tundra problems for days now. Just look at the reward!" Hugh said, pointing at the document. York scanned the bottom of the page before going wide-eyed. "One million!? Why the hell did you ask me first? Let's go!"

The four signed up for the quest and began to make their way out the door. York shot a quick glance over to where Felix was, but the old man was talking with Finch, the rookie hunter. _Kid must need help with a quest,_ York thought. _Well, at least I know what this thing is. Who would've guessed it's an elder dragon scale?_

The four were already in their armor and had their weapons, so they quickly boarded the boat before it sailed off towards the perpetually wintery land known as the Tundra. York read the report on the way.

_Calling all hunters! A large Gigginox has been attacking merchant caravans and hunters in the Tundra for days. Locals are concerned it may begin to attack towns and are requesting immediate aid. Witnesses report sightings of the monster in a nearby cave system. This is a high priority mission; good luck to whoever accepts it!_

_ -The Guildmaster_

York was amazed at how high the reward is. _They must really think this thing is dangerous. Can't say a Gigginox isn't, but one million? That's insane!_ York thought to himself as he stood on the top deck of the ship, leaning on one of the guardrails.

"So, what did Felix say about that thing you bought?" Rose said from behind York. Her sudden appearance startled him. "Geez Rose, why do you have to sneak up on everyone?" "I don't sneak, I just don't make a ton of noise walking around like you guys do. Did Felix know what it was?"

York hesitated for a moment. Should he tell Rose what it was? "No, he didn't know. Said it might be a scale or something, but nothing like he's seen before." York quickly said. Rose looked intently at him for a few moments, as if prying for more. Eventually, she let out a sigh. "Well, I guess someone else might know. Come on, let's go below deck. The ship won't arrive until morning, so I'd like to get some sleep before then. Plus, it's freezing around here, so I'd like to stay warm. Wanna help with that?" she said, grinning.

York smiled back. "Alright, you win." The two went to their shared cabin and Rose cuddled close to York on the mattress they were lying on. She quickly fell asleep with her head resting on his chest, while York gazed at the Alatreon scale a bit longer. It seemed to almost absorb the light in the room. York quickly pocketed the object before dozing off as well.


	24. Chapter 24-Poison

_Hello again for probably the billionth time! I think I might need to get a new greeting before too long. Anyways, it's a longer one this time. Hope you all like action scenes; this chapter's almost entirely one big fight! Also, at this point, York's armor is basically an exact replica of the assassin's outfit from Assassin's Creed 3. Look it up if you have a hard time picturing what I describe it as. Enjoy! _

Chapter 24- Poison

Sure enough, the ship arrived at dawn, and York departed along with Rose, Hugh, and Karah. Fortunately, his armor kept him warm, so he didn't need his hot drinks like the others did. He still brought a couple with him, along with some antidotes and a few other items. After everyone was prepared, they went out towards the area the Gigginox was said to be located.

"York, I'm glad you got those blue stripes on your armor, cause if you didn't we'd definitely lose sight of you," Hugh said while smirking. York had added two blue stripes that extended from his shoulders down his robes and ending at the coattails. "Hey, I thought it'd look nice. Rose was getting on my case about my stuff not looking cool enough, so why not?"

"Well, it is true! Without those, you'd be almost invisible!" Rose said. Karah laughed as she agreed. The white robes York wore were almost the exact same shade as all the snow around them. "Alright, enough about the armor. Let's check some of those caves; Gigginox usually stay in their dens at this time of day," Karah said.

Hugh lit a torch as the group entered the cave. The light shone far into the darkness, allowing them to see better. "Well, let's get started then," he said. The others followed as Hugh led them farther into the cave. Eventually, they entered a large cavern with a crevasse by one of the far walls. _Better stay away from that,_ York thought. _Who knows where it leads._

Hugh tossed the torch into the center of the cavern, so the light was able to reach most areas of the cave. "Wait, do you guys hear something?" Rose asked, searching around. The others did as well. A strange, deep hissing sound was reverberating through the room. York quickly looked up at the ceiling.

"Well, I'll be damned."

Quite possibly the largest Gigginox he had ever seen was latched onto the ceiling, apparently sleeping. The pale hide of the beast stood out from the dark stone roof behind it, and the poisonous glands on its body shone a deep purple.

"Okay, why the hell are there so many giant monsters out here!?" Hugh said, hefting his great sword. "I don't know, but let's focus on the matter at hand. Rose, do you mind getting it down?" Karah said, drawing her short sword made from Gobul parts. "With pleasure," Rose responded. She quickly applied a power coating to her bow and drew an arrow back before letting it fly. The arrow went straight up and pierced through the monster's poisonous gland!

"Watch out!" York yelled to the others. Poison began to rain down on the group as they scattered! Fortunately, they all managed to evade the toxin, and the beast that fell from the ceiling. It landed with a huge crash, sending down a few icicles from the ceiling as well. Hugh quickly tackled Karah out of the way of a particularly large one.

The Gigginox had righted itself extraordinarily fast, and before any of the hunters could react, it let out an ear-splitting roar! Everyone was forced to cover their ears at the sound; even Karah's ear plugs couldn't drown out THAT loud of a sound. It quickly spat a glob of poison at Rose, who jumped to the side in time to avoid the mass of toxic fluid.

Hugh rushed it from the side; with his strength, he could easily run with his sword in one hand. He quickly swung his sword down at the monsters tail, with sparks dancing at the blow. He hadn't actually cut the tail- the area was much harder than normal- but his piercing prevented his sword from bouncing back.

The Gigginox hissed in irritation before lashing out at Hugh with its tail! He quickly jumped to the side, but was forced to block when it swung again! "Dammit, I hate these things! Especially ones that are seven times bigger than they should be!" Hugh shouted as he recovered.

York had also advanced, and was slicing away at the monster's wing. His Sworn Rapiers cut long, thin lines through the beast's rubbery hide. York somersaulted away as the beast tried to bite him, but he kept sliding on the icy floor! He sheathed one of his swords before drawing his carbalite axe and using it as a brake to stop himself.

_Damn, that was close,_ he thought looking at the crevasse a few feet behind him. York quickly rejoined the fray as Hugh and Karah tried to attack the Gigginox. Hugh was knocked back yet again by the beast's large mouth, blocking it with his sword. Before it could bite down on Karah's shield arm, York threw a paralytic knife into the side of the beasts head! There wasn't enough to completely paralyze the Gigginox, but it drew the monster's attention back to York. Its skin suddenly began to turn a dark shade! "Shit, watch out! It's getting mad!"

Everyone dove away from the toxic monster as it released a large amount of poisonous gas from under its body! Fortunately, the gas dissipated quickly, and no one was poisoned. "York, incoming!" Hugh shouted. The Gigginox launched another glob of poison at him, which York quickly dodged as well. He turned to face where it had been, but he didn't see the monster. It had leapt onto the ceiling!

The Gigginox hung from the ceiling by its tail before swinging back and forth, launching poisonous globs in every direction! The hunters again scattered to avoid the toxic substance. After the rain of purple liquid ended, Rose notched another arrow and launched it at the monster's other poisonous gland! The arrow pierced the organ just as easily as the first, causing the beast to fall from the ceiling yet again.

"Nice shot!" Karah said. "We've almost got it! Just a bit more!" Hugh also stated, joining the rest of the group. The four brandished their weapons as the Gigginox righted itself, expecting it to launch another attack. The monster surprised them, though, by leaping backwards onto a wall above a small cave mouth. Rose notched another arrow in preparation, but something caught all the hunters off guard.

The Gigginox wasn't moving; it stayed latched onto the wall. From the cave below it came the sound of laughter. It wasn't normal laughter; it was almost maniacal, evil. The sound became louder and louder until the source revealed herself; it was a woman wearing a revealing outfit made from the parts of a Gigginox, and holding a saber made from the same materials. She had pale white hair, despite her young appearance, and was quite shapely. Her eyes had a purplish-red color; it was a completely unnatural shade. York noticed that there was a symbol on her armor's left shoulder; it was a black dragon, the same as the one the man in Wroggi armor had!

"So, you are the one my master has been searching for…" the woman said, gazing intently at York. "Who the hell are you!?" Hugh shouted, taking a step forward in an aggressive manner. "No one you should be concerned with. I'm only here to eliminate York," the woman answered. Her words seemed almost coated in venom; it was extremely unnerving.

"Like I'll let that happen!" Rose shouted back. She had shifted her aim from the Gigginox to the woman. " "That won't work, my dear." Suddenly, the Gigginox launched off the wall towards Rose! She fired the arrow and dove out of the way, but it kept after her. York jumped between the beast and Rose before it could devour her, slicing a long line across its face!

The monster reeled back in pain before the woman jumped over it, sword drawn! With a murderous cry, she brought her sword down at York! He easily blocked the attack, though, and pushed the woman back. The Gigginox had turned its attention to Hugh and Karah, who had tried to regroup with York and Rose.

"Hugh, Karah! Take care of the Gigginox! We'll handle this bitch!" Rose said, getting to her feet. York was relieved she was unharmed. The woman laughed as the Gigginox lunged towards Hugh. "You think I'll go down as easily as the last one? I have orders to _kill_, not capture. I'll kill you too, if you interfere."

"Like I told your buddy in the Wroggi get-up; I won't let you do that. You want me? Come and get me!'" York said with an edge. Rose went for another arrow, but grasped at nothing! Her quiver had fallen off, and was lying nearby the crevasse! York must have noticed as well, because he handed her one of his swords.

Rose was glad she had practiced using a sword and shield when her bow had been broken by the Nargacuga all those years before; it would definitely come in handy now. York twirled his bright blue sword in anticipation before the woman charged at them! Rose quickly jumped forward, stabbing at the woman with the green sword, but the woman easily parried the attack. Before she could counter, York lunged with his sword as well, forcing the white-haired woman to jump back.

Rose followed her, though; swinging the sword York had given her incredibly fast. The woman laughed as she exchanged a few blows with Rose before shoving Rose back towards the crevasse. Before she could send Rose plummeting down the icy pit, York again intercepted the woman and swung his blade at her leg. Although she jumped back swiftly, York's blade was able to cut a thin line in the woman's thigh, drawing blood. York grasped another throwing knife and flung it at the woman, intending to hit her before she could recover. However, the woman brought her sword up to block the small dagger, which fell to the floor. York saw the iron dagger hissing as it disintegrated, poison eating away at the metal.

Still the woman laughed, wiping a finger on her leg before licking the blood off. She had a hazy look to her eyes; she seemed to be almost drunk with excitement. "Looks like you'll be a fun one…" she said. Rose shuddered a bit; this lady was _creepy._ "Rose, stay back. I'll handle this." Rose quickly looked at York in surprise. "York, let me help you! We can do this!" Rose said, getting back to her feet.

"Rose, like it or not, she's much better with a sword than you are. I can't risk you getting hurt because of that; her blade's coated in poison." York replied firmly. "Grab your arrows and try to help Hugh and Karah. That Gigginox won't go down easy. Keep the sword with you, though," Rose, while opposed to York facing his assailant alone, did what he asked and grabbed her quiver. Rose sheathed the sword as York ran at the woman. She swung at him, which he quickly blocked. They exchanged a few blows, neither one getting a single hit. York was beginning to overpower the white haired woman, though.

Suddenly, the white-haired woman grabbed the front of his sword's handguard with an fierce grip! Realizing what she was about to do, York released his grip on his sword, letting the woman throw it across the ground towards the crevasse. He quickly pulled the pin on his bracer, and the black blade sprung from his wrist; he parried her blow with it just before it connected. He quickly turned her aside before shoving the woman back.

"My, my, you're just full of surprises. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?" the woman asked, amused. She quickly jumped back as an arrow whizzed past where she stood! The woman turned to face Rose, who had her bow drawn and another arrow notched. "You might be able to beat me when I've got a sword, but not when I've got my bow!" Rose said before firing the arrow.

The woman barely dodged the projectile, which grazed her arm as it flew past. "Hah! Is that so, dear? We'll just have to see about that!"The woman then began to run at Rose. Rose shot another arrow, which embedded itself in the woman's leg, but wasn't able to dodge as the woman slashed at her! Rose quickly tried to redirect the blade using her bow, but the purple blade still sliced her unprotected shoulder! Rose fell back with a pained yelp as she grasped her wound, and the woman laughed in triumph, raising her sword above her head.

But before she could finish off Rose, York swiftly impaled her from behind with his wrist blade! "Forget about me?" He pulled the blade free as the woman fell forwards, blood flowing from the small wound in her back. "I can… see why… master... wanted you dead…" the white haired woman weakly said, collapsing on the icy floor.

York paid her no mind as he rushed over to where Rose lay. She didn't look good; she had a pained expression, and was extremely pale. Her breathing was ragged, as well. "Rose! Are you alright?! Rose! Dammit, I told you to stay back!" he said, trying to rouse her. He quickly uncorked an antidote before gently pouring the contents down Rose's throat, trying to eliminate the poison in her body. York sighed in relief as Rose's expression softened and color began to return to her face. Hugh and Karah must have finished off the Gigginox by then, because they ran over to where York was.

"York! What happened?!" Hugh asked, seeing Rose in his arms. "She got poisoned by a sword wound and passed out. I gave her an antidote, but I still need to dress the wound. What about the Gigginox?"

"Well, it almost ate me, but before it could attack it started shaking like crazy. I guess that's when you finished Ms. Creepy Bitch off, because I saw you rush over to Rose. Hugh did the honors of killing the damn thing," Karah said. Hugh looked pretty beat up, but was otherwise fine. "I swear, whatever hole these things crawled out of should be nuked!" he shouted, rubbing his arm. "Hugh, what does that even mean?" York asked, confused.

"I dunno, but it sounds appropriate!"

* * *

York carried Rose back to base camp while Hugh and Karah recorded the Gigginox's size and carved a few materials off of it. York sighed as Hugh walked back into the camp holding a green stone. "Hey, York! Check out what I found!" Karah shook her head in amazement. "I still can't believe your luck with these things, Hugh."

"Ugh… what happened?" Rose suddenly said, grabbing her head as she sat up. "Rose! How are you feeling?" York asked, concerned. "I feel fine, I guess. Better than before. What happened back at the cave?" "Well, York stabbed Ms. Creepy Bitch after she slashed you, Hugh and I killed the Gigginox, and York carried you back to the camp after getting the poison out of you. Oh, and Hugh invented a new word," Karah recounted.

"Something isn't right, though," Hugh said. "Her body was gone when we went back into the cave." "That can't be good..." York said, frowning.

"York, you're not mad, are you?" Rose asked. "I'm sorry I jumped back into that, I should've let you handle it." "Rose, its fine. Just don't do it again, alright? I won't lose you over this," York said reassuringly. Rose hugged him, a smile breaking across her lips.

"I love you, York."

"I know."

* * *

"You failed, Adel."

Zeal stood over the woman as she sat, his glowing red eyes staring straight at her. "Well, Zeal, you could've stepped in…" she responded, glowering at him. Although the wound was serious, she had survived. Zeal had treated her injuries, but had done so with no sort of sympathy; he didn't seem to have any emotions.

"He won't be pleased with this. Not only did you fail to kill York, but you lost your mount as well. Pray to the dragon you don't suffer his wrath," Zeal said. "It wasn't my job to assist you, either. Your failure is yours alone." "We'll see how master takes the news when we get back to base then, won't we?" Adel retorted. She struggled to her feet; Zeal offered no help. He let out a strange call, and suddenly a Nargacuga jumped down in front of him! "Hello again, Blood-eye."

The Nargacuga had a single glowing red eye, and two prominent scars on its head; one over its left eye, the other at the base of its skull. Zeal climbed onto the creatures back, Adel sitting behind him. "Blood-eye, let us return home."

The Nargacuga growled in acknowledgment before it raced off into the distance, Zeal and Adel clinging to its back.

_Don't worry, Blood. We'll both have our revenge soon enough._

* * *

_Whew, that was a long one, am I right? And a bit of a twist at the end, as well! What does Zeal want revenge for? And what about the Nargacuga? Could it be the same one from before? Who knows?! Well, I do, but rest assured you'll all find out soon enough. Thanks for reading, faithful viewer! Until next time!_


	25. Chapter 25-Pops

_Hello... wait, I said I'd use a new greeting. Salutations, good sir and/or madam! ...Okay, I think I'll stick with the old one. Anyways, these next few chapters are going to focus on Dustin. The two plots will reconnect in a while, but for now, enjoy our rookie's adventures!_

* * *

Chapter 25- Pops

"Land ho!"

One of the sailors shouted down from the crow's nest. Dustin and Sally quickly ran to the prow of the ship to see where they were heading. Even at that distance, Dustin could make out the sandships used to traverse the desert surrounding Loc Lac. It was a welcoming sight to him; he grew up in the desert, after all.

A few buildings could be seen at the way station, nothing but maybe an inn and a few small houses. What really stood out was the dragonship; it was an immense ship with a massive spiked drill on the front; a dragonator. A large mast extended from the deck into the sky, and a large white sail was drawn up onto it. The ship was also much larger than an ordinary dragonship; it was lined with cannons on multiple decks, and had several ballistae near the prow. Dustin thought the ship seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember where he'd seen it before.

"All hands, prepare to dock!" the captain shouted to the crew. As the large boat drew near the dock, several of the sailors jumped to the dock to help secure the ship. Once it was tied down, the anchor was lowered into the sea and the gangway was extended. Dustin and Sally carried their equipment chests off the boat and made their way into the small desert town.

"Geez, and I thought Peason was warm. This place is way too hot!" Sal said as she stopped and sat in the shade of one of the buildings. "Would you believe me if I told you that at night, it'll be freezing cold?" Dustin asked, sitting down next to her. "You're kidding!" she said, turning to face him. "The desert has always had a pretty strange weather system. Most places stay about the same, maybe cooling down a bit at night. But the desert? Never a temperate day out here."

"Ugh, that sounds great," Sal said sarcastically, before chugging a cool drink she had brought with her. "Come on, let's head to the inn. Most buildings are made to be cooler in the day. Beats burning to a crisp out here," Dustin said, getting to his feet. The heat didn't bother him so much; he was used to it, but he didn't want Sally to be uncomfortable. He helped her up as well, and the two grabbed their things before heading to the inn.

Inside, a few men were seated at one of the tables; probably sand ship sailors, based on their dress. They wore loose fitting, light colored clothes, and most had goggles hanging around their necks. After ordering a few coldl drinks, Dustin and Sally sat at one of the empty tables. They talked for a short while, discussing their hunts and what the exam would be like. Dustin's attention was drawn to the inn's door, though, when a tall man entered.

He looked to be in his forties. He wore a long navy blue coat, with the back ending in a pair of coat tails by his ankles. The coat was open, revealing a white cloth shirt and a red sash around his waist. He wore baggy tan pants, which were tucked under his brown boots. An elegant cutlass with a gold hand guard hung at his right side; he was left handed. The man had broad shoulders and a commanding air about him. He must've been the captain of the dragon ship.

What stood out to Dustin the most, though, was the man's face; he had shaggy blond hair, and blue eyes; the exact same as Dustin's. The captain caught Dustin's gaze, and a wild grin crossed his face. "Well, well, look who it is!" the man said, approaching the table Dustin and Sal were at. "I heard two hunters would be heading to Loc Lac on my ship, but who would've guessed that one of them would be my son!"

"Dad? You're the one whose ferrying us?" Dustin asked, bewildered. "This is your dad?" Sally asked, looking at Dustin's surprised expression. "As a matter of fact, I am," Dustin's father responded. "My name's Richard, although I much prefer to be called Captain Rich. And who are you? Dustin's girlfriend, perhaps?"

Sal blushed immediately. "Dad, we met three days ago! She's just a friend!" Dustin quickly said, trying to avoid an awkward situation. Richard let out a short laugh. "Oh, don't worry. I'm just messin' with ya. Can't I just have a bit of fun? I haven't seen you in almost a year, Dustin." "Does that even qualify as 'messing with me?'"

"No, no, it's alright," Sal quickly said. "I'm Sally." Richard laughed again. "See, Dustin? At least your friend here can have some fun." Dustin smiled, although he was a bit embarrassed. How was he supposed to know his own father would be sailing them to Loc Lac?

Dustin had always looked up to his father. Richard was an experienced hunter before he retired to captain his dragon ship, the _Forever Breeze_. Even then, Richard was an excellent captain; he had even helped drive off a Jhen Mohran once! People from all across the land knew about his exploits; it was because of him that Dustin decided to become a hunter in the first place.

"So, I'm guessing you were able to qualify for the Hunter's Exam, then?" Richard asked, seating himself at the table. Sal was looking quickly between Dustin and his father; they looked remarkably similar. "Yeah, the guy I trained under thought I was more than ready, so he let me apply early," Dustin said. "Well, good for you, Dustin! I'm glad you're making so much progress!" Richard said with a proud grin.

"To be fair, my mentor isn't exactly normal, but he knew what he was doing," Dustin said, looking aside while scratching his head.

"Well, once you two finish your drinks, let's get those boxes of yours onto the ship. We'll be departing soon, anyways. I'm sure you two want to get to the city as fast as you can, right?" Richard said. "Really? But we just got here!" Sal replied. "Can we really leave that soon?" "Well, yeah. There isn't really much out here anyways, so the sooner we leave, the sooner we arrive," the captain replied.

After Dustin and Sally finished, Richard gathered his crew and returned to the dragon ship with the hunter's equipment. "Welcome aboard the _Forever Breeze_, hunters!" Richard said enthusiastically. "It'll take a few days to travel to Loc Lac, so we have a couple cabins set aside for you. You'll find your equipment inside." "Alright, thanks Dad," Dustin said before he and Sally went below deck. There were a few sailors around, most on break and chatting with each other. "Your dad seems really cool."

Dustin laughed a bit. "Yeah, I guess. It's been a while since I saw him, but he hasn't changed a bit. Oh, and, uh, sorry about the whole 'girlfriend' thing. He always liked poking fun at me." Sally blushed a little, but kept an even tone. "It's okay, I understand. That's what parents do, right?" "I guess, but even then..."

"So, yer da cap'n's kid?" a voice said from behind, interrupting the hunters' conversation. Dustin turned and faced the man; he looked pretty tough, with numerous scars on his arms and face. His skin was very tan, probably as a result from spending so much time in the sun above deck. He had a sneer on his face as he studied Dustin. "Don' look like much ta me."

"Well, sorry, but I really don't care what you think," Dustin said, beginning to turn back. "You always turn yer back on yer problems?" the man challenged. "You looking for a fight?" Dustin retorted. Sally tried to pull him back, but Dustin was already facing the sailor; for some reason, he actually wanted to get into a fight. "Maybe I am. Ya have a problem wit dat?"

"No, I don't. I hope you like the taste of your teeth, cause I'm gonna be feeding them to you," Dustin said, cracking his knuckles. By then, the other sailors had noticed and were forming a circle around Dustin and the scarred man. They were jeering and placing bets on who they thought would win. "Sal, just wait over there for a minute. This is gonna get ugly."

Sally backed up to one of the walls as Dustin and the sailor circled each other. _Well, time to see if I actually learned something from those hand to hand combat drills York put me through, _Dustin thought to himself. The sailor swung at him, and Dustin readied himself for a brawl.

* * *

_Hah, pulled a fast one on ya! Chances are, anything even remotely similar to a bar fight will be used to end a chapter. Seems like Dustin's taking after York quite a bit, eh? And now we know who his father is! Truth be told, I had a had time finding a good name for him. I was seriously contemplating 'Morgan', but that would have been too obvious. I enjoy subtle references; expect to see a few more in the future! Thanks for reading, and be sure to review! _


	26. Chapter 26-Shifting Sands

Chapter 26- Shifting Sands

"Dustin, are you okay?" Sal worriedly asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Truthfully, he wasn't. He had taken a few punches from the sailor, and that guy hit pretty hard. He was bruising a bit already, and blood trickled down his chin from a split in his mouth. Still, Dustin was better off than the sailor; he had thrown the guy into wall and smashed an empty bottle against his head, knocking the sailor out cold.

_ I still can't believe York can go through fights like that completely unharmed, _Dustin thought. _I'm glad I paid attention when he taught me how to fight; this could've ended a lot worse._

"Hold still a sec," she told him. She dabbed a damp cloth over his chin, wiping the blood clean. "Thanks, Sal." "What the hell is going on down here?" Richard suddenly asked, walking into the room. He looked around, noting all the evidence of the fight. "Dad, let me explain!" Dustin quickly said, getting to his feet. "Don't. There's no need," Richard said, grinning slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, truth be told, I wanted to see how tough your training made you, Dustin," he responded. "I sent Frank down here to test your mettle. And, judging by the results, I'd say you've come a long way!" "You tried to get one of your crew members to fight me to see if I could handle it? What kind of parent does that?" Dustin asked, slightly annoyed. Richard laughed nervously. "I'll admit, it wasn't the best plan. But hey, you proved just how much you've grown since you left to become a hunter!"

Dustin sighed. "Well, sorry about the mess. I can clean it up." Richard just shook his head. "No, I'd actually like you two to come up top. The weather's good today, and you can see for quite a ways. Ever seen the desert, Sally?" "No, sir, I haven't," she answered, her eyes showing excitement at the idea. "Well, now's as good a time as any. Come on up. I'll even let you take the wheel for a bit, Dustin, if you want. It'll be just like old times."

Sal looked at Dustin in surprise. "Wait, you know how to sail this thing?" she asked incredulously. "Well, yeah, I guess. My dad started teaching me when I was ten, so I have some experience," Dustin responded. "You make it seem like it's nothing! That's amazing, Dustin!"

Richard laughed while Dustin nervously accepted the praise. "Well, come on, you two. Let's get to the deck, shall we?"

Richard hadn't lied; Dustin could see for miles. The golden sea of sand extended far in every direction, with the light blue sky meeting it at the horizon. There were a few rocky protrusions scattered about the desert as well. The sun was directly above them; it was about midday. "Wow… I've never seen anything like it!" Sally exclaimed, leaning far over the boat's railing to see everything. "Careful there, miss. Don't want you fallin' off the ship now, right?" one of the sailors said. She backed away from the rail, but still looked intently across the desert. Dustin followed Richard to the wheel controlling the boat.

"Alright, Dustin, let's see if you remember what I taught you about sand sailing. Keep both hands on the wheel, make sure you adjust for wind…" "Dad, I remember how to do this. It isn't exactly easy to forget how to sail a dragon ship," Dustin said with a hint of sarcasm. He slowly spun the wheel to the right, causing the ship to turn a bit. He got a feel for the resistance the sand gave, and the strength of the wind that propelled the ship. It was almost second nature to him.

"Hah! That's my boy!" Richard exclaimed, ruffling Dustin's hair. Dustin smiled; it was just like old times. He expertly guided the _Forever Breeze_ around several of the stone obstacles, maintaining a good speed while doing so. Some of the sailors on deck applauded him as he skillfully sailed through the sand sea, while his father stood to his left with a proud look on his face. Sally was staring at Dustin in amazement the whole time, which made him a little embarrassed.

After sailing for a bit longer, Dustin returned the wheel to Richard and went below deck with Sally close behind. "Dustin that was amazing!" she said. "I guess. I'm not much for boasting," he replied. "I've never even seen someone pilot one of these before, let alone someone my age!"

Dustin laughed as she continued to proclaim her amazement. "You know, you're a pretty amazing guy, Dustin," Sally said, sitting on a barrel. "Not only are you going to be a hunter, but you can pilot a dragon ship and you're really nice, too." Dustin turned his gaze towards where the sailor he had fought earlier sat, nursing his new injuries. "I'm pretty sure he might disagree with you," Dustin said with a grin. Sally laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure he might. Listen, after the Hunter's Exam, do you want to be my hunting partner? I think we'd make a great team!"

"Uh, yeah, sure! I mean, uh, why not?" Dustin stammered. He hadn't expected Sal to ask him something like that so quickly. "Thanks, Dust!" she said before hugging him. Dustin felt his face redden a bit, but he laughed all the same. "No problem, Sal."

The two retired to their cabins soon after. Dustin was exhausted; it had been almost two days since he last slept, on account of his uneasiness on the water. Thankfully, he was much more used to the feeling of the dragon ship gliding over the sand, and he found it much easier to rest than on the boat.

_Still, I wonder how the others are doing,_ Dustin thought to himself as he drifted off into sleep. _Maybe when I get back I can get York to make something to give to Sal. That'll cost me big time…_

* * *

_Look's like Dustin's got the makings to be a hunter pirate! Sailing ships, beating up other sailors... Of course, I couldn't make him as good a fighter as York; no one could get that good so quickly! Well, at least he can pilot the _Forever Breeze_-_ _that's something not many can do, York included! Probably. Thanks for reading, as always; remember to write a review if you have something to say!_


	27. Chapter 27- Raid

-Chapter 27- Raid

"Dammit! How could you have failed me!?" The black armored man berated.

Adel was kneeling before his throne with her head low. "I couldn't do anything!" she pleaded. "There were four of them!" "And you had your mount, which should have been more than enough! But apparently you still haven't learned how to fight with one; and this time, it cost us very dearly! If you had actually been smart about this, you'd still be a Rider and York would be out of the way!" The rage the man in black armor felt practically reverberated throughout the room.

Zeal was leaning against one of the walls, silently watching the whole exchange. The only thing that betrayed his presence were his glowing red eyes. The black armored man continued to angrily shout at Adel. "I made you a Rider because I felt you would be able to handle the responsibility, but I see now that I was wrong! You're lucky I don't execute you right now!"

"Master, please, let me have another chance!" Adel begged. "I won't fail you again!" "No! You will stay at the base and guard the captives until you can redeem yourself. Make sure the prisoners are treated properly; no one unfit shall be made into a sacrifice, am I clear? Now, be gone!"

Adel rose to her feet, still furious at her demotion. She stormed out of the room, with the heavy doors creaking loudly as the guards opened the doors for her. The black armored man seated himself in the throne as the doors slammed shut. Zeal moved from his place on the wall towards the throne.

"She wasn't the one we should have sent. Adel gets... intoxicated when fighting," Zeal stated. "I believed we wouldn't have to expend more resources than necessary to eliminate York, but he's beginning to push my hand," the black armored man remarked. "May I suggest a more… direct approach?" Zeal questioned. "Zeal, I will not send you out to face him. I have other duties for you. I understand you want revenge, but now is not the time for such trifling matters. We know where he is. As long as he holds the scale, we will always be able to find him."

If Zeal was angered, his face didn't betray anything. "...Very well. What are you planning next?" "Send Slate to the Flooded Forest. Have him attack as many hunters as possible. Draw York out, then have Slate eliminate him. Am I clear?" Zeal didn't respond for a moment. "What of his allies? Surely they will join him." "Slate won't make the same mistake Adel made. Unlike her, he understands how to use his mount. They won't matter; just so long as York is dead, we will have succeeded."

They were interrupted as a man dressed in dark leather armor suddenly threw open the large doors of the chambers. The guards tensed up, grasping their weapons at the sudden appearance of the individual. "What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself!" "I apologize for the intrusion. Sir, I found something within York's home. I think you might want to have a look at this…"

* * *

"Ey! Kid! Wake up! We need ya!"

Someone shouted while banging on the door to Dustin's room. He groggily got out of bed before opening the door. "What is it?" he sleepily asked, wondering how early it was. The sounds of cannons firing and a loud crash from above deck answered for him!

"That! Get yer gear on; bandits are attackin' us!"

Sally had awoken after hearing all the commotion as well. "What's happening?" she worriedly asked Dustin. "Bandits. Get ready; I think we have a fight on our hands."

The two quickly got suited up, Dustin in his hunter's armor and Sally in a suit of Jaggi mail. Her light bowgun was slung across her back. They nodded to each other before heading above deck.

* * *

"FIRE!"

Richard shouted the command to the sailors, who promptly fired a large volley of cannon balls at the bandit's sand ship. A few made contact with the ship's hull, but nothing did enough damage to slow the other ship down; its small size made hitting it difficult. Dustin and Sally had just gotten to the deck before Richard shouted again; "EVERYONE, HIT THE DECK!"

The hunters hit the deck along with several of the sailors just as a volley of cannon balls flew over the _Forever Breeze_! "Dustin, Sal, help the others with the ballista!" the captain ordered. They quickly grabbed some of the long spears the ballista used as ammo before heading over to the weapons.

Dustin loaded two onto the track before launching the projectiles at the bandit's ship. He scored a direct hit, punching into the deck of the ship. Sally had also launched her ballista, with the spears striking the back of the sand ship. Despite the hits, though, not much damage was done; the ballista were meant for hunting monsters, not fighting other sand ships.

The bandit's ship quickly turned its prow to face the _Forever Breeze _before sailing straight at them; it intended to ram the dragonship! Richard quickly maneuvered the sand ship out of the way, leaving the ships side by side; despite the _Forever Breeze'_s size, it wasn't indestructible.

Several of the bandits climbed onto the ship then; they didn't wear much armor, mostly just rags and bandannas for facial protection. Most wielded simple iron swords, but they still posed a threat; there were far more of them than there were sailors on the _Forever Breeze_. Dustin didn't have much time to think; he quickly jumped down towards one of them, intending to incapacitate him instead of killing him. He landed heavily on the man, slamming him into the deck! Before he could react, Dustin struck the back of his head, knocking him out.

As the others began to approach him, Dustin picked up the sword the scoundrel he had dropped on top of lost; he flipped the blade, using the blunt side instead. He wasn't accustomed to fighting other people, but Dustin still managed to fight well. He parried a stab from one of them before swinging the blunt side of his sword straight into the side of the scoundrel's head, knocking him out. Another tried to grab him from behind, but Dustin quickly threw the man over his shoulder and elbowed his face; Dustin felt the man's nose break from the impact. A third bandit rushed him as well, who was quickly disarmed and dispatched similarly.

Sally fired her bowgun at anyone Dustin failed to strike, stopping many of them from landing a blow on the hunter. She was shooting weaker ammo, not inflicting any fatal wounds, but still incapacitating many of the bandits with headshots. Several of the sailors were helping as well, fighting back with whatever weapons they could find. Richard had drawn his gold handled cutlass as well, joining the fray. He quickly cut down a bandit, swinging the sword twice in broad strokes.

"Dustin! Keep them from getting inside the hold!" his father shouted, engaging another bandit. Dustin saw a few of the boarders trying to gain entry to the hold, fighting some of the sailors in the process, and moved to intercept them. He knocked out two of the bandits before the other three could react. The others turned to face him, but two of them were taken down by the sailors they had just turned their backs on. The last remaining one swung a heavy blade at Dustin; he tried to block, but the iron sword he had picked up went flying off the boat from the impact! He began to move to attack again, and Dustin drew one of his dual blades. Dustin didn't have to fight the man, though; Sal suddenly shot him dead with a burst of Pierce rounds! She seemed alarmed at what she had just done; she looked in shock at her bowgun. "I thought those were Normal Shots!" she cried in dismay.

One of the bandits, seeing his comrade get gunned down, realized the danger the bowgunner presented. He moved to attack her at close range, swinging his sword down at her. Sally managed to block the attack with her bowgun, but was knocked off balance and fell towards the railing with a yelp. Just as he was about to finish her off, Dustin gutted him from behind, before kicking the bandit square in the back, knocking him over the railing and sending the scoundrel plummeting into the sand below! "You alright, Sal?" Dustin said, helping her to her feet. She still looked shocked, but had regained a little bit of her composure. "Y-yeah, I'm fine, thanks."

Most of the boarding party had been eliminated by then, and the bandit's ship began to break off. Before it got too far, Richard ordered the sailors to fire the cannons. A massive volley of cannonballs tore into the hull of the ship, splintering wood and completely wrecking the sand ship! The remains of the vessel disappeared under the desert sand as the _Forever Breeze_ continued onwards.

"Well, that was a nasty bit of excitement, wasn't it?" Richard asked as Dustin and Sally approached him. "Do bandits attack ships often?" Sal asked, looking back at the spot the scoundrel's ship had disappeared at. "There's been a bit more activity with them recently, but they still usually steer clear of dragon ships. Can't say I understand why they would try to attack us, but they won't be a problem anymore, eh?"

"Well, I hope so. I can't believe I did that, though..." Dustin said, thinking about how he had brutally killed the bandit who had attacked Sally. Her expression darkened a bit as well. "I just wanted to knock them out... I accidently loaded the wrong ammo..." she said, somewhat distraught. Richard nodded grimly, understanding their plight. "To take another's life is never an easy thing to do. I can't risk the lives of my crewmembers, though, so I have to be strong about it. There may not be a way to fix a wrong as bad as killing another, but there's no point in beating yourselves up over it; you did what you had to do. Try not to be too hard on yourselves, okay?" Dustin and Sally accepted Richard's advice; they didn't like it, but the best they could do was to try and forget.

"Anyways, sorry for having to wake you two up so abruptly. The ship came out from the Stinging Winds, so there wasn't much time to prepare a counter attack. We needed someone with fighting experience."

"What're the Stinging Winds, sir?" Sal inquired. Richard pointed out towards a large billowing sandstorm with dark clouds over it. "That. For some reason, that area is always afflicted with terrible weather. Awful storms blow around there almost constantly. The sand it picks up stings if it blows into your skin, hence the name. Most people believe it to be cursed. Me? I don't believe in superstitious rumors."

Dustin stared intently at the stormy area. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was causing the weather to be like that, although he couldn't imagine what. "Well, thanks for your help, you two. Bandits are never a welcome sight, but we managed to avoid any losses. You can go get some more rest now; I think you've earned it. We should be at Loc Lac by tomorrow."

"Thank you, captain," Sally said before going below deck and returning to her cabin. Richard stopped Dustin as he started to follow. "Hold up a sec, Dust." Dustin turned to face his father, puzzled. "Listen, I saw what you did to help her. I also get that you must like her a lot. As your father, I couldn't be more proud of you," Richard said. "So let me give you some advice; if and when you're going to tell her how you feel, be direct. It worked for me, at least."

Dustin was surprised by his father's statement. "Since when did you start giving out relationship advice, Dad?" he said amusingly. "Just now, it seems. But I approve of it; if you like her, I don't have a problem with you dating her. Just stay away from alcohol until you're old enough to drink; that's an argument you'll never win!"

* * *

_Well, what a twist! Seems York's been robbed; but of what? I actually had a harder time writing this chapter than I thought I would; York can understandably kill someone and not be as affected by it, but a young seventeen or eighteen year old? Not so much. I hope it was at least convincing enough; not everyone can be a killing machine, after all. Thanks again for reading!_


	28. Chapter 28-Security

_Hello again! Chapter 28 already, eh? Seems like just yesterday I was writing chapter 27! I'm taking a brief break from Dustin's story to explain what happened at York's house; just what did the guy from last chapter find that's so important? Enjoy finding out!_

* * *

Chapter 28- Security

York was grinning madly as he walked back to his house; with good reason. He was lugging the massive bag full of gold he earned for the Gigginox quest on his back. _I don't even care if I had to split it with the others; I'm bloody rich!_ he thought to himself.

Fortunately, Rose's injury healed over surprisingly fast, and there were no lasting effects from the poison. The only thing that gave away the fact that she had been wounded was the white bandage around her upper arm. She was just as cheery as ever, carrying her earnings with her as well. "So, York, what are you planning on buying?" she asked.

"Hell, I'm buying a safe! I saw one going for about a thousand gold at the market. I'll buy that, and then put the rest of my money in there," he replied, almost enthusiastically. "Wow, that's it? I would've thought you'd buy some crafting materials or something." "Well, normally I would, but given how I've spent the last few months living on the edge of poverty, I think I'd prefer to save my money for once."

The couple walked into their home, and immediately York knew something was off. "Why is my work table completely empty?" "Did you clean it off?" Rose asked. York gave her a look that told her he was certain he didn't. York quickly walked over to the table, and began to search around for the objects he left on it. He found most of the things scattered about on the floor, except for one, very important thing.

"Son of a bitch… Someone stole my armor designs!"

"What?! Why'd you leave those on the table?!" "I was copying them. I put the original design in my room, so it should be fine. But still, this is a big problem. Someone else has the designs, so who knows what they'll do with them! I swear, if they end up on the black market..."

"Who would steal those, though? Most of the people we live around aren't hunters, so they wouldn't have much use for them…" "I get the feeling those freaks with the black dragon emblems might have something to do with this. They've been after me like crazy," York answered, troubled. "York, while I get that those people have been a real problem lately, what makes you think they stole it?"

"Well, it might be a crazy guess, but the emblem they burned into the desk was kind of a pretty big giveaway." It was almost as though the thief branded the desk; the same dragon emblem that they had seen on the members of the organization was imprinted on it in charred ash. "I guess that would make sense…" Rose said, inspecting the mark. "I just hope they didn't take anything else."

After a quick search, York and Rose were relieved to find that the thief only took the designs; everything else was right where they left it, although plenty of it was on the floor to begin with. "Well, looks like he stayed in here the entire time," York said, returning to the living room. "Okay, but York? We really need to clean this place up. And let's add a better lock to the door. He didn't come in through a window, that much I know."

York had to admit, she was right; no one could possibly fit through the windows in their home. "I suppose it's a good thing I've been working on a lockpick-proof one. I'll replace the old one as soon as I can." Rose gave him a look of disbelief. "You were already working on a new one? Why?"

"So that next time I get locked out of the house by a certain someone, I'd be able to get back in."

* * *

"…and that's how York and I got everyone at the school a month of outdoor practice. The training room smelled like dung and felvine for weeks!" Hugh said, laughing. Karah was sitting across from him at their table in the tavern, also laughing at the story. "I'm still amazed you managed to fool Epplin into thinking that bomb was a barrel of raw meat!" "What can I say? The old man was a bit gullible. Nowadays, not so much."

"Hey! Hugh!" Hugh turned to see Finch eagerly running over to his table. "Hey, there's my favorite rookie! How goes the hunt?" Finch grinned; Hugh was practically like an older sibling to him. "Pretty good! I was actually going to head out to the Flooded Forest to hunt a Royal Ludroth. Do you want to come?" Hugh saw in the kid's eyes just how much Finch wanted him to join.

"Ya know, I'd really like to, but I just got back from a pretty tough hunt with the others, and I think I need a bit of rest." Hugh turned as a familiar figure in Akantor armor entered the tavern. "But, I think I know someone who'd definitely be willing to help you out. Hey, Felix!" The old hunter turned and grinned when he saw Hugh at his table. The old man approached where they were sitting.

"Well, if it ain't Hugh! How ya doing, youngster?" "A bit sore from my last hunt, but well enough, old timer! Listen, my buddy Finch here needs a bit of help on a quest he's taking. Mind givin' him a hand?" Felix looked Finch up and down before laughing. "Sure, why not? We headin' to the Flooded Forest then?" Finch had a surprised look on his face. "How did you know that?"

The old hunter chuckled a bit. "Boy, when you've been huntin' as long as I have, you can tell where someone's plannin' on going. But I suppose it could've been a lucky guess, too." "Finch, Felix here has been hunting monsters since before we were even rookies. I can't tell you how much he's taught me and York over the years. Sure, he's nearly gotten us killed about seven dozen times, but that's a hunter's life, right?" Finch was staring in awe at Felix. "Well, why not? I'm sure I could learn something too!"

Felix went with Finch and another young hunter over to the quest board and signed up for the quest. The three departed, leaving Hugh and Karah in the mostly empty tavern. Hugh noticed the surprised look on her face. "What is it, Karah? Somethin' up?" "No, it's nothing. I'm just amazed at how Felix knew the hunting grounds they were heading to. I've never seen anyone do that," she replied. "I don't think it's that strange. York and I have placed a few bets on where the other would have us go next. Sure, I lost a good number of those, but hey, we all get lucky from time to time."

"Or, in your case, all the time!" Karah said, grinning. "I saw that collection of gems you have in your item box. How can you have almost half of it filled with those and not use them for anything?!" "Mostly as a joke. York's always going on about money, so I thought 'why not make myself seem rich and rub it in his face?'" "Well, if you're not using them, do you mind letting me have a few? Most of the monsters that form those things are a lot harder to fight than normal, and I don't feel like getting killed trying to get one." "Hah! Of course you can! What else am I going to do with them, anyways? I'll probably end up getting more before too long."

Karah surprised him by leaning across the table and kissing him on the lips! "Thank you so much, Hugh!" "...Well, hey, if that's what I get in return, I think I can live with it!" he replied, laughing nervously as he felt his face heat up. "So, I see you two are enjoying each other's company!" a familiar voice said from behind Hugh. He turned, seeing Zephyr standing behind him!

"It's about time you got back, Zeph! We've been havin' all sorts of adventures while you were out!" "You're not the only ones. I actually hunted a Zinogre while I was in Loc Lac! Bloody wild fight that was!" "Seriously?! I heard there's only been a few of those around lately!" Karah said, shocked. "There are actually quite a lot around the Misty Peaks. Most just live alone, though, so that's why their numbers seem lower. Anyways, tell me what I missed; what did you guys hunt?"

"I'll tell you; the biggest bloody Gigginox you'll ever see, and its crazy bloodthirsty owner," York suddenly said, appearing from behind Zephyr. Zeph practically jumped out of his skin in surprise. "Goddammit! Why do you people always have to sneak up on me like that!?" "What can I say? It's fun."

"What are you doing out at the tavern?" Hugh asked. "Doesn't Rose usually cook?" "Yeah, I'm not here for food. I was actually looking for you guys; we need to talk. And Hugh, I need some help with the front door; I never realized replacing a lock could be as difficult as it is." "Wait, what?"

"Don't ask; I'll tell you when we get back."

* * *

_Uh-oh, looks like there might be some copycats in the future! If only we were allowed to trade rare monster gems in game, too; although that might make things too easy. Oh well, at least Zephyr's back; I feel like he hasn't had almost any adventures recently. Hopefully I'll be able to give him a bit more focus sometime later. Anyways, thanks for reading!_


	29. Chapter 29- Welcome to Loc Lac

Chapter 29- Welcome to Loc Lac

After Hugh and York put the new lock on the door (which, for some reason, was absurdly difficult), York brought everyone up to speed on what had happened.

"Damn, so now we can expect to see those guys wearing your armor?" Hugh said.

"Well, yes and no. I used quite a few rare materials in it, which I doubt anyone will be able to have an excess of. They'll probably have to substitute some of the materials. And I also treated the pelts in a special way to make them even stronger, which I didn't actually write down. If anything, they'll have a weaker version of it," York replied.

"That's assuming they actually make it," Zephyr pointed out. York nodded. "I'm not sure if they realize the exact reasons I made the suit the way it is, but if not, that's better for us." "Even so, I'm glad they only took one thing," Rose said. "If they had taken some of York's other designs, we might be in trouble."

"But wouldn't a thief try and take as much as possible?" Karah asked, puzzled. "Why only take one thing when there is so much more? And then leave a mark showing who did it?"

York shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he was lazy. Maybe it was just a warning. I hate to say it, but we'll probably find out before too long…"

* * *

"Captain, I swear, I know what I saw!"

Richard, Dustin, Sally, and another sailor were sitting in the captain's quarters. The room was furnished, but not excessively so. A few paintings hung on the walls, but aside from that, the room seemed pretty low-end. Just like Dustin, Richard didn't like to show off.

Richard let out a sigh. "I'm sorry I don't believe you, but why the hell would an Azure Rathalos be flying over the sand sea? They usually stick to the Volcano or some of the southern islands, maybe the Misty Peaks on occasion. There would be no need to fly across the desert to get to any of those."

According to the sailor, while on watch up in the crow's nest, he had apparently sighted the blue-colored wyvern. He said it had been far off in the distance, and he had only seen it because of his telescope. No one else had seen it, though, and everyone thought the man mad.

"I don't know why it would either, but I saw it flying towards the west. I know what I saw, sir. Have I ever been one to sight something that wasn't there?" "No, but it's hard to believe something as strange as this. The only thing to the west is the Flooded Forest, and there has never been a Rathalos sighted out there, let alone one old enough to have its scales change color. Just keep on watch, and tell us if you see it again. Have someone else hold a telescope as well; if your tale is true, it would help your case to have another witness."

The sailor bowed before leaving the quarters. "What do you two think? I don't believe a Rathalos would ever come all the way out here on its own," Richard said, addressing the hunters. "I don't think it would either, Dad. Not without some reason, at least," Dustin replied. Sally nodded in agreement. "Something must have made it fly out here, if it's even real."

"I trust his eyes, but he may have been in the sun a bit long as well. Hopefully it was just his imagination." Richard stood up from the seat he had been sitting in. "Anyways, thanks for listening. I feel that any hunter's opinion on the matter would be helpful." "Don't mention it, sir," Sally answered.

"I suppose you should both get your things together, then. We'll be arriving in Loc Lac within the hour." "Alright, thanks, Dad."

* * *

Dustin and Sally were leaning on the side rail, watching as the ship passed a large rock. The city would be coming into view soon, and both of them had wanted to see it as soon as they could. "What do you think the city will look like, Dustin?" "I'm not sure. I hear it has a large wall surrounding it, and a massive tusk in the center of the city. People say an elder dragon crashed there, creating an oasis."

"Wow… that's incredible." Dustin had been to Loc Lac once before, but he had been so young he didn't remember much about it besides a few of the local stories. After a few more moments the ship passed by the rocky outcropping, and the hunters gasped at the sight of the city. There was a wall, but there were several gaps for sand ships to enter through. Loc Lac was immense; Dustin could see the large white tusk protruding into the air, but even it seemed tiny at this distance. A few taller buildings were also visible over the city wall, most either a tan or white color. The most prominent, though, was the arena; even at this distance, the circular coliseum dominated the city scape.

The ship sailed into the docks, where the _Forever Breeze_'s crew quickly tied the ship down. Numerous other ships and skiffs were present as well. The hunters disembarked along with Richard and headed towards a small building with a flag imprinted with the Guild emblem flew. The three entered, where a woman wearing a red Guild uniform sat. "Hello again, Sue," Richard said, addressing the woman.

"Rich? Where've you been off to? I haven't seen you for weeks!" the woman, Sue, replied. "I was picking up a few hunters from the southern way station after my last assignment. Turns out, one of them was my son. This is Dustin," he said, gesturing towards Dustin. "Huh, I never knew you had a son. Well, I can see who he takes after! How are you doing, kid? I'm Susanne. Your dad and I used to hunt together before we retired."

"Why'd you quit?" Sally asked. "I had a bad leg injury, so running and jumping is a bit difficult for me now. The Guild never did me wrong, so I figured I may as well work for them." Richard chuckled a bit. "That was one of the most difficult hunts I can remember. That Pink Rathian was a huge pain." Sue smiled at the recollection. "Yeah, it sure was. If it weren't for you slicing its tail off, I'd probably have gotten killed. Dustin, your dad is one hell of a life saver!" "It must run in the family," Richard said, smiling slyly. "Anyways, can you get these two signed up for the exam? I know it's tomorrow, but they still need to get registered."

"Of course, not a problem! I just need you two to fill out some paper work, and you'll be good to go!" After completing the forms, Richard bade Sue farewell and left with Dustin and Sally. "Alright, you two, I've got to get back to the ship. Don't worry; I'll be watching you take the exam, Dustin. Make me proud, son." "Thanks, Dad. I will." Richard left the two and walked back to the docks, in order to oversee his ship.

"So, you must be Dustin, then." A creepy voice said from behind them. Alarmed, Dustin and Sally turned to face the man. He wore a mask that looked like a skull, and strange suit of armor made from who knows what. He had a large lance on his back; it looked like a shark. "I've been waiting for you."

"Who the hell are you?!" Dustin said, putting himself between the man and Sally; whatever this guy wanted, he wouldn't be harming her. "What, you don't know who I am?" Dustin could hear the man breath through the teeth on the mask; it only added to his menacing and strange appearance. "No, I don't. What do you want?" Dustin said aggressively.

"Oh, forgive me, it must be the mask." The man gripped underneath the mask's jaw and lifted the front off. He removed the back as well, revealing spikey red and black hair. The guy wore a pair of red goggles over his green eyes, and his face was covered with what looked like soot. Dustin realized his hair wasn't dual colored; the black ash was strewn through his hair as well. His jaw seemed almost completely flat; at the correct angle, his head looked almost like a square. "I'm Joshua. York asked me to meet you out here."

Whatever Dustin initially thought about the man was completely changed by that single statement. He had a much higher pitched voice than he did with the mask on, and without it Joshua looked almost ridiculous. "Oh, uh, right. Sorry about that, but the mask kinda creeped me out," Dustin said, relaxing a bit. Sally had a questioning look on her face, which Joshua seemed to notice.

"Ah, you must be an acquaintance of his. See, Dustin's mentor, York, and I have known each other for quite a while now. He asked me to act as your guide to Loc Lac." "...I don't think that wearing a skull makes for a good first impression..." Sal said, still warily eyeing the helm in Joshua's hands. He let out a short laugh. "Yes, sometimes I forget when I wear it. I do apologize if I frightened you."

"Well, do you know if there are any inns around? We need a place to leave our things," Dustin said, gesturing to his and Sally's boxes. "Of course, I actually already got you a room nearby the arena. The exam is taking place there, so you should be able to be on time tomorrow. I can try to accommodate for her as well. Please, follow me." Joshua spoke very politely, which only further confused the two rookies; most hunters they knew were much more... rugged. Nonetheless, they followed the red haired man through the busy streets of the city towards the arena.

Dustin and Sally looked around in awe at the various buildings and shops they passed. Most buildings were made of the same tan material and reached a story or two into the air. Other buildings farther in reached up to at least seven stories; Dustin marveled at them. People hurriedly rushed through the crowded streets, some carrying various objects; Dustin picked out a few large bones being carried off towards the docks, among other things. Others carried monster parts, tools, weapons, building materials, all sorts of things. Merchants lined the street, selling all matter of merchandise. What amazed the two the most, though, were the hunters.

There were even more on this one street than Dustin had seen in all of Moga. Weapons and armor made of every kind of monster could be seen, of all shapes and sizes. Some hunters wore battle damaged armor and grizzled expressions, while others had gleaming equipment and excited faces. Veterans and rookies alike walked the streets of Loc Lac, whether it be to shop or to depart on the next hunt. Some traveled in groups, others, alone. The one thing they all shared, though, was the thrill of the hunt.

"Wow, this is incredible!" Sally said, gazing at everything she could as they walked. "Loc Lac is the hunting capital of the country, after all," Joshua answered as he guided them through a less crowded side street. "All sorts of people live here, myself included. Hunters from across the world come to take part in quests with others here." The group paused as a man dressed in green with a sword and shield on his back ran past them. "And the occasional adventurer as well, though it isn't as ...profitable a profession."

They continued on towards the large arena, dodging through the large crowds in the streets. Eventually, they arrived at the inn Joshua had told them about; and not a minute too soon, Dustin and Sally were exhausted from dragging their equipment boxes across the city. "You know, Josh, I appreciate getting us rooms, but would it have hurt to get them a bit closer to the docks?" Dustin gasped.

"Actually, it may have. I nearly got into a scrap with another hunter just getting this room for you. Turns out many others had the same idea for their apprentices as well," he replied. "I hope it won't be too difficult to get your friend there a room as well; unless, you were thinking of sharing one?"

"Whoa, whoa, hold up! We're just friends, man!" Dustin said quickly. Sally's face went beat red while Joshua laughed. "Of course, I believe you. Just having a bit of fun. Come on, let's go inside." Joshua entered the building, while Dustin and Sally stood on the street for a minute in disbelief. "Why does everyone just assume things like that?" Sal asked.

"I have no idea." Dustin replied with a sigh. _But I think I get how York felt sharing a house with Rose._

* * *

_Ah, Loc Lac, how I miss you so! Ever since the Tri servers went down, I haven't been able to go adventuring with my friends like I used to. Oh well, once I get Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, maybe I can find some of them again! I'm going to make Loc Lac into a city of references, as well; expect a few cameos from other games and stories as well. Of course, I can't name anyone in particular since I don't own the rights to the characters or names, but that doesn't mean I can't make a similar character, right? Shout outs will be getting a bit more common now; hope you can spot them! But, what's this about an Azure Rathalos over the sand sea? I wonder if that could be important... actually, I don't- I wrote the plot, after all! Thanks yet again for reading, remember to review and follow!_


	30. Chapter 30-Necklaces and Friends

_Hello agai__n! Wow, chapter 30! This is like a milestone, right? I think this calls for a celebration; or at least, a new character! This'll also be the last of York and Rose we see for a few chapters; we're moving back to Dustin and Sal's story again. Hope you didn't miss them too much! Enjoy! Well, you'd have to be if you were reading this far into it; thanks for that!_

* * *

Chapter 30- Necklaces and Friends

"So, Hugh, you two don't mind house sitting for a few days?" Rose asked.

York and Rose were standing on the airship docks, where a large vessel waited to take them to Loc Lac. "Sure, no problem. We'll try to keep the place clean, though I still think a Felyne would do a better job," Hugh answered. "Well, we'd have gotten one, but I'm allergic to the fur," York replied. "Not my fault."

"Whatever, just tell Dustin we said hi, alright?" Zephyr added. "Not a problem. Oh, and Hugh, don't drink all our beer, alright? I won't be able to afford another keg for a while."

"Didn't you just get a huge reward from that Gigginox quest?" Karah asked. "Yes, but Rose convinced me to pay for both our tickets on this damn airship... again... Do you have any idea how much it costs for a one way trip to Loc Lac? Way, way too much." Rose tried to keep from laughing as Karah looked at her in amusement. Rose always managed to get York to pay for things like this.

"Alright, let's get going, lady," York said, motioning towards the ship. "Don't need them making us pay extra for being late. And by us, I mean me." "Ok, right behind you, York. We'll see you guys after the celebration!" Rose said, waving good-bye to the others. York suddenly shouted back at them.

"One last thing- I swear, if you wreck the house up, you're going to be the one paying for it, Hugh!" The pair boarded the airship, and not long after it took off into the sky, noisily flying out across the sea.

"Ten gold says York has to cart her off during the party for passing out," Hugh said, still watching the ship in the distance. "I'll take that," Zephyr said, also watching the ship. The two shook hands in acceptance of the bet, before they went back to the tavern along with Karah.

* * *

"...Well, at least it's something," Dustin said as he and Sally entered the room. The two ended up having to share after all, but the inn keeper was willing to get a second mattress and a collapsible wall for them, so they could split the room. The guy running the place said the inn was booked with people planning to watch the exams that were taking place the next day. He practically bit Joshua's head off when the hunter asked for another room.

"I guess you're right. Let's drop our stuff off and look around for a bit. It's still early in the day, so let's explore the city!" Sally said, dropping her box on the floor with a loud thud. "Alright, let's get Joshua to show us around. As much as I hate to admit it, we do need a guide. It would be a problem if we got lost, wouldn't it?" "Yeah, it would… What exactly was your mentor thinking when he asked that guy to be your guide, though?" Dustin sighed; "If only I knew."

The two walked out of the room and went into the front lobby of the inn, where Joshua was waiting. "All settled in, then?" "Yeah, we were thinking about exploring the city a bit. Mind showing us around?" Dustin asked. "Certainly. There are plenty of shops a hunter might find useful around the arena that I can show you. Although I'm sure you two might want a meal, so let's eat before anything else." Dustin hadn't realized how hungry he was until he heard his stomach growling. "...Yeah, good plan."

Sally and Dustin followed Joshua to a nearby restaurant, where they ordered a large meal. Sally stared in amusement as Dustin wolfed down his food. "Geez, slow down! You're gonna choke on something!" Dustin swallowed before answering. "Hey, I haven't had a decent meal in almost a week. Gimme a break." "Don't worry, I know plenty of techniques to help someone who's choking," Joshua said. "If that did happen, he'd be in good hands." Dustin shuddered at the thought before slowing down a little.

"Ya know, I'm kinda wondering why you're covered in soot, Josh," Dustin said, turning to the man. "Oh, this? Probably from one of my experiments." "Experiments?" Sally asked, also facing Joshua.

"Yes; see, while York prefers constructing things, I prefer creating things. It might seem like the same idea, but let me explain. York makes tools and other such things from scratch, but he usually takes those ideas from some kind of source. It might be because of some experience or obstacle he needs to overcome. I, on the other hand, prefer to just wing it based on what I know about materials at the time."

"So, you're saying what makes you different from York is that you don't plan?" Dustin asked. "No; what makes us different is that I know how to make things without a plan. I study materials and there properties, and from there I can create something newer or better. For instance, you know that monster fluid is adhesive, correct? If you coat a pitfall trap's net with it, it more than doubles the traps effectiveness. A sap plant, though, is too sticky to use for something like that."

"But what were you making that blew up in your face?" Sally asked. "A high powered flash bomb. The standard one is bright, yes, but the one I'm designing uses gun powder, as well as a few scatterfish. That makes the flash all the more bright. Unfortunately, the one I was working on earlier today prematurely detonated."

"So, a flash bomb went off directly in your face? How are you not blind?" Dustin said, surprised. "I actually have York to thank for that. I asked him to make me these goggles a while back, which among other things help block out bright lights." "And that's because…?" "Believe me, if I took the time to explain, you'd never make it to the exam on time. And, this chapter would be much too long for the writer." "...What the hell does that mean?" Dustin asked, utterly confused. "Have you never heard the expression? It means... oh, never mind. Anyways, if you're finished eating, let's be off."

Dustin left a few coins on the table as a tip before they departed. Joshua showed them all sorts of shops and merchant stalls as they wandered the streets. Dustin was amazed; he thought Moga had a ton of places to buy things, but the fishing village paled in comparison to the hunting capital. Almost every store was filled with hunters, and the stalls were likewise swarmed. It seemed that the city was much busier around this time.

"Looks like we won't be able to do much shopping today, huh?" Sally said, somewhat disappointed. "Actually, I think that stall over there isn't as busy," Dustin said while pointing towards the stand. "Let's check it out."

The group went over to the stall, which was run by a short man. All matter of goods were on display, from statues to jewelry to exotic tools. "How are you doin' today, kids? Anythin' catch yer eyes?" the short man asked. "No, just taking a look. You've got an odd bunch of things for sale here," Dustin said, picking up what looked to be a spring powered grappling hook. "I didn't know you were back in Loc Lac, Donald," Joshua suddenly said to the man. "Why, Joshua! I didn't see ya there! How is my best customer doing?"

"Quite well. I'm just showing these two around the city at the request of a friend from Moga." "Moga Village, ya say? I was there not too long ago, actually. Sold a few of my oddities out there as well." "Oddities? That's what you call these?" Sally said, gazing at the strange collection of trinkets. "Yes, miss. See, I travel around trading for all sorts of things. I collect all manner of goods and wares, and sell them to whoever wants them. That way, I'll usually have somethin' fer everyone."

Donald paused as the green clad man from before came up to the stand. "Can I help you?" The man wordlessly pointed to the grappling hook Dustin had set down and dropped a small bag of coins on the stand. "Alright, you can have it," Donald said after counting out the coins. The man took the device and held it above his head triumphantly for a moment before departing. "That was... weird," Sally said, watching him as he left. Donald chuckled a bit. "See what I mean? Somethin' fer everyone." She began to go through some of the pieces of jewelry he had while Dustin continued looking at the tools.

"So, do you have my order in yet?" Joshua asked. "Ah, right. Here, twenty flashbugs from overseas." Donald gave Joshua a jar containing the insects. "What're those for?" Dustin asked. "My high powered flash bombs, of course. The foreign bugs produce a stronger light than the ones around here." Sally suddenly lifted a necklace out of the goods on the table. It was gold, with a red gem as the centerpiece. Something seemed a bit odd about the gem, though. It looked like it was almost threaded together, creating a brilliant shade of crimson between the lighter and darker halves.

"Ah, I fergot I had that. Good eye, miss," the shopkeeper said. "What is it?" she asked, eyeing the stone. "That is a necklace called the Wyvern's Heart. I got it ou at Jumbo Village a few months back. It's made from a Rathalos Ruby and a Rathian Ruby. That's why the gem looks the way it does; a new technique from a foreign country let the rubies be combined like that." "It's beautiful…" Sally said, entranced by the glittering red ruby necklace. "I'll be willin' to sell it, of course."

"How much?" she asked quickly. "Let's see… about two thousand gold ought to cover it. Although since yer Joshua's friend, I'd be willin' to cut you a deal this one time. How's fifteen hundred sound?" Sally dug through her coin purse before sighing in disappointment. "I only have a thousand!"

"Here, let's split the cost," Dustin said, pulling out his own wallet. "We both pay for half. That sound good?" Sally looked at him in surprise. "Really? You don't mind?" "Not at all." The two paid Donald the gold, and Sally slowly lifted the necklace from the table. She suddenly turned and tightly hugged Dustin! "Oh, thank you so much!" "Whoa! Uh, don't mention it!" Dustin said, slightly embarrassed. "Take good care of that now," Donald said. "It wasn't easy to get." "Don't worry, sir. I will."

"Well, we ought to head back soon. You two need a good night's rest before the exam, so let's go back to the inn," Joshua stated. "I'll see you again, Donald." "Thanks fer comin' by, Joshua."

As they turned to leave Dustin collided with someone! The guy stumbled back in surprise while Dustin fell back. "Oh, I am sorry. Are you alright?" he asked, holding a hand out to Dustin. He spoke slowly, as if he had to think about each word before saying it. "Yeah, thanks," Dustin replied, accepting the person's hand. He looked to be about a year older than Dustin, but had somewhat darker skin. He was somewhat bulky, too; not from fat, but from a muscular build. His black hair hung loosely above his shoulders, with a few braids on the right side of his head. He had sharp features and a focused expression.

"I was returning to the inn I am staying at, you see. I am taking part in the Hunter's Exam tomorrow," he explained. "Really? So are we," Sally said. "What's your name?" Dustin asked. The man's response was almost impossible to understand, which utterly confused them. "Rujifacuwa- I'm sorry, what?"

Oh, I apologize. I am from a foreign land, and this is not my first language. In this tongue, I would be known as Conner." "Well, I'm Dustin and this is Sally. Nice to meet you, Conner. Where are you staying at?"

"An inn not far from the arena, called the Bright Wing. I am actually somewhat lost, at the moment. I went out to buy a few supplies, and got completely turned around. I have not been to a city like this before." "Well, come with us, then. That's where we're staying too!" Sally said. "Ah, many thanks. I was worried I would never be able to find it again!" "Alright now, let's go before it gets too late, shall we?" Joshua said, accepting the new member of the group.

Joshua led them back to the inn, explaining more of his complex formulas and designs to the soon to be hunters. The three tried there best to ignore him; Dustin and Sally listened to some of Conner's tales as well, but were often forced to hear Joshua out.

"I'll be here tomorrow morning to escort you to the arena. Make sure to have all of your equipment, okay? It would make for a boring chapter if you weren't at least prepared," he said, beginning to depart. The confused rookies watched him as he walked out of the inn. "Wait, what does that... oh, whatever."

Conner stared at the red haired man as he left. "He seems… strange, to say the least." "Trust me, we know," Sally laughed. "Well, I suppose we should get some sleep. Tomorrow will be very trying," Conner said. "Yeah, hopefully we'll see each other tomorrow. Later, Conner," Dustin said as he and Sally began to enter their room. A young man bumped into Dustin as he walked by, not stopping as he passed. "Watch it, moron," the guy said as he shoved past. Dustin looked after him for a moment before entering his room with a shrug.

Dustin crashed on his bed, exhausted. Before he could drift off into sleep, though, he heard Sally's voice from behind the folding wall. "Hey, Dustin? You still awake?" "Yeah, what is it?" "I just wanted to say thanks for helping pay for the necklace. I really do appreciate it." "No problem. It's the least I could do." "It means a lot to me. You're a great guy, Dustin." Dustin smiled as he began to fall asleep.

"I try."

* * *

_Well, looks like Dustin and Sal might have a third team member! And before I see it in a review, yes, Conner is almost entirely based on the playable character from AC3, but I'll be sure to at least give him different character traits. Inspiration comes from many sources, after all! And thank you Joshua for your fourth wall breaking. He'll definitely keep things interesting. Thanks again for reading! _


	31. Chapter 31-Wild Instincts

_Finally, the day we've all been waiting for; the day of the Hunter's Exam! Will Dustin, Sal, and Conner make it? I already know I they will or not, but I won't let that detract from the experience! If they do pass, though, won't they need a fourth teammate? Lucky for them, that member may not be too far off... Hope I didn't spoil anything. Anyways, as always, enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 31-Wild Instincts

Dustin awoke early the next morning, as did Sally. The two quickly got their armor on and grabbed everything they would need for the exam. According to what Dustin heard, the test was basically a one-on-one fight with a random large monster. Fortunately, each applicant would be allowed to use his or her own equipment, so they wouldn't have to use things they weren't accustomed to. Aside from that, though, the two hunters were in the dark about the test.

They exited their room and entered the lobby, where they saw Conner leaning against one of the walls. His armor appeared to be made from Qurupeco materials; it was mostly green, but with several other bright colors as well. It seemed that the headpiece was modified too; it looked more like a feathered hood than the ornate headdress normally seen on the suit. He had a strange, spiked weapon next to him that appeared to be made out of some sort of crystal.

"What kind of weapon is that?" Dustin asked after greeting his new friend. "It is called a riechglendbeck, or Switch Axe. It is quite new, actually. I made it out of rare materials I obtained from underwater. I believe the smith called it Rugertshliss, or Rough Edge." "Wow, it looks pretty dangerous," Sally said, eyeing the weapon. "Yes, but I have been using this kind of weapon since I started my career. It is actually quite easy to handle, once you get used to it," Conner answered. Joshua entered the inn then, cutting their conversation short. "Sorry I'm late; traffic was horrible. Writer's fault. Anyways, shall we be off then?"

The three rookies nodded, and followed Joshua outside. The streets were crowded with all sorts of people heading towards the arena. "Don't worry; I know a way we can use to get there quickly," Joshua said. He led them down several side alleys and streets that weren't nearly as packed as the main street. Before too long, they arrived at the registration gate. "And here's where I take my leave. I'll be watching from the stands; I do hope you all give it your best. Make this a good read, will you? Good luck." "Thanks, Joshua. We will," Sally said as the red haired hunter left.

"What's with all this "reading" nonsense? He's making it seem like we're in a book or something," Dustin said as they approached the counter. "I dunno... He is a bit crazy, though," Sal replied. "Or perhaps he is writing a story about this event?" Conner suggested. Dustin shrugged; "Maybe."

The three approached the counter, where a woman in a green Guild uniform sat. "Names, please." "Dustin, Sally, and Conner," Dustin said. "Let's see here… You three are all in group seven. Head down the first hall on the left, and go into the third room on your right." "Thank you very much," Sally said, beginning to head over to the room. "Strange that we are all in the same group, no?" Conner stated, also walking over to the hallway. Dustin turned to follow, but was knocked to the ground when someone crashed into him!

"_Agh! Why the hell do I keep slamming into people_!?" Dustin thought to himself. "Hey, watch where you're going, asshole!" the guy said. He had brownish armor made from parts Dustin couldn't identify. He didn't wear a helm, so Dustin could see his face; he had medium length brown hair, and a tough face. His brown eyes gave off a look that basically said _Don't mess with me._ He had a large hammer on his back as well. Something seemed vaguely familiar about him, and Dustin realized it was the same guy who had walked into him the night before. "Hey, don't blame me. You're the one who ran into me," Dustin said, brushing the dirt off his armor as he got up.

"What was that, punk!?" The brown haired hunter stepped towards him, but stopped when the woman cleared her throat. "No fighting between examinees. Otherwise, neither of you will be participating. Now, what is your name?" "Lyle." "Well, you're in luck. Group seven. These three are also in your group, so just follow them to the room." Lyle had an irritated look on his face, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, whatever."

"Dustin, try not to get into a fight with this guy," Sally said to him. "I don't need you getting kicked out because of something like that." "Don't worry, I won't. Can't say I won't hit beat the crap outta him if he starts one, though." Lyle sneered a bit at the remark. "Think you can take me in a fight? That's rich!" Conner stepped between them at that point. "Listen to me, you two. This exam is a test of a hunter's strength. Instead of fighting each other, why not save your energy for the real battle?" Lyle backed off a little, but still looked irritated.

They all entered the room, which was surprisingly well furnished. The four sat at one of the tables in the room. "Might as well talk to someone, even if he is an asshole," Lyle commented when Dustin questioned him about sitting with them. "What is your armor made of? I do not believe I have seen it before," Conner asked Lyle, still trying to keep him and Dustin from tearing each other apart. "It's made from a Barroth I hunted. Tough brute wyverns from the Sandy Plains in the east. This is probably one of the toughest suits of armor out there. Better than Dusty's weak-ass set, that's for sure," Lyle quipped. "And the hammer?" Sally asked, also trying to keep them from going at it. "Made from a Royal Ludroth. Not the toughest monster I've fought, but the weapon is worth it."

Before too long, there was a knock on the door. The examinees turned as a man in a Guild uniform entered. "Okay, group seven, correct? Conner, you're up first. Follow me please. The rest of you can watch from the examinee's booth." "Good luck out there, Conner. Show us what you've got," Dustin said. Conner smiled at the encouragement. "Thank you, Dustin. While I am surprised I am first, I have a feeling this will be a good fight." A wild look filled Conner's eyes, as if he was almost excited for his fight; not regular excited, but incredibly psyched. Conner left the room with the man, and the rest of group seven walked up a few steps towards the booth.

* * *

Sally gasped when she saw the arena. The stands surrounding the circular battle field were packed with spectators, some sitting while others were forced to stand. A few airships circled from above as well, probably holding even more viewers who could afford the rides. A large gate was on either end of the arena, where the combatants would enter through. Each door was engraved with something; one looked to be a sword, the other, a set of fangs. A few wooden towers were on the edge of the battlefield, each one holding a single occupant; a hunter with what looked to be a highly advanced bowgun.

The cheering in the arena settled down as a loud voice echoed from the announcer's booth. "Everyone, your attention please! We will now begin the annual Hunter's Exam! This year, we have forty examinees, who have been divided into ten groups of four! At random, a name will be chosen and the examinee will then enter the arena for the test! Each examinee will then face a randomly selected monster! In order for each examinee to pass, they must defeat the monster! If the battle goes badly for the examinees, not to worry! We have several trained professionals on stand-by, ready to tranquillize the monster at a moment's notice! " A large sigh of relief that could probably be heard from anywhere in the arena escaped the examinee's booth; at least none of them were going to get killed.

"And now, please welcome our first examinee, the new blood from a foreign land, Conner!"

The crowd roared as Conner entered the arena. Even from the distance Dustin was at, he could see Conner gazing restlessly about at the crowd. He lifted the feathery hood of his armor up over his head, obscuring the rest of his face. "Now, let's see what he will have to face in battle!" The opposite gate began to creak open, and Conner drew his Switch Axe. The blade slid farther up the weapon, giving the weapon a more recognizable shape. Suddenly, a colorful monster burst out from the gate! Conner instinctively dove to the side as it ran past.

"Conner will be facing a Qurupeco, the mimicking troubadour!" the announcer shouted. The crowd cheered as Conner began to fight the bird, swinging the large axe he used at a surprisingly fast speed. He landed a hit on the birds chest, but it wasn't very deep; the Qurupeco had turned at the last-minute, swinging its fan-like tail at Conner! He dodged the tail with a quick backstep before lunging towards the bird.

The flat top of the axe hit the bird square in the beak, making it stumble back a few feet. The Qurupeco recovered quickly, striking the flints on its wings together before leaping at Conner, creating a large fireball! Conner wasn't even close to the blast, though; he had already strafed around to the monster's flank, striking one of its wings with a bone-breaking horizontal strike! The beast reeled back as its wing crumpled in towards its body.

Conner's weapon then seemed to change. The front blade slid down the shaft of the weapon, while the back blade flipped over and connected to the front. His weapon looked more like a large, spiky sword than the axe he had been using before. Conner swung the blade even faster than he had before, slicing a large gash in the multicolored-monster's wing. The wound erupted in a reddish lightning, causing the crowd to begin cheering even louder.

"What was that?!" Dustin shouted over the roar of the crowd. "Never heard of it? Well, I ain't surprised. It's called Dragon Element," Lyle answered. "It's one of the rarest elements you can get; I'm not sure how your buddy down there got an axe that uses it, but he is one lucky bastard." Dustin could tell Lyle didn't mean that comment to be an insult, so he left it at that. Conner had already inflicted several more wounds on the beast, while dodging all its counterattacks. It seemed almost like he knew where he would have to move before the Qurupeco even attacked! The crowd only cheered louder and louder as the examinee slashed the bird again and again.

Conner quickly turned around after rolling between the beasts legs, and thrusted the tip of his weapon into the birds chest! Red lightning jumped from the blade as the bottom half flipped open, releasing even more of the rare element into the beast. It cried in agony as the element washed over it, shrouding the area the sword was embedded with a crackling red electricity. After a few seconds, a massive burst of energy erupted from Conner's weapon, sending him sliding back several feet. The Qurupeco, however, was knocked onto its back from the attack, heavily wounded. As Conner's weapon shifted back into axe form, the bird breathed its last.

The crowd roared even louder as the announcer's voice boomed. "Wow, what a fight! Conner easily bested the monster without taking a single hit!" Lyle whistled as Dustin and Sally cheered. "Not gonna lie, I'm impressed. Never seen anyone move like that before," he said, watching Conner exit the arena through a small door by the larger gate.

The man from group seven's room suddenly tapped on Dustin's shoulder. "Dustin, right? You're up after the next fight. Follow me please." "Seriously? Wow, didn't expect to get picked that soon." Dustin began to follow, but stopped when Sally grabbed his hand. "Good luck out there, Dust. I know you'll do great!" "Thanks, Sal. I'll be sure to." Lyle looked amusingly at the two, but didn't say a word.

"But please, don't get hurt too bad, ok?" "No problem. What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

_Lyle sounds like a bit of a jerk, doesn't he? Of course, I needed someone Dustin didn't get along with; can't be Mr. Nice Guy to everyone, right? He'd better accept that, too; next chapter's going to be a tough one. Dustin vs the random monster! ...No, that isn't the title. Thanks for reading, and again, remember to review and continue following!_


	32. Chapter 32-Breakneck

Chapter 32- Breakneck

Dustin followed the man through a long hallway before entering a large room. The room was dimly lit by several torches on the walls, which revealed the massive wooden gate in front of him. The cheering of the crowd could be heard from the other side. A few roars could be heard as well; the previous fight was still going on, apparently. Dustin jumped in surprise as a large thud shook the gates before him; something really big had just slammed into them, causing the large doors to shake.

"Alright, kid. Once the gate opens, just step out into the arena. I'm not sure what you'll be facing out there, but good luck," the man said. Dustin nodded at him, and the man departed, leaving him alone in the room. Dustin waited impatiently, beginning to tap his foot after a few minutes. _Come on; the wait's killing me!_

After a few more moments, he heard the crowd cheer loudly at the announcer's voice. The large wooden gate muffled the sounds, though, so he couldn't hear how the previous match had ended. After a few more incomprehensible words from the announcer, Dustin heard the large hinges on the gate begin to creak. He shielded his eyes as light poured into the dark room, allowing them to adjust. He gasped at the sight before him.

He had thought the arena looked big before; and that was from one of the booths far up in the stands! From ground level, the arena floor was immense; Dustin also noted the various bits and pieces of broken weapons and shattered monster parts strewed across the ground. The crowd cheered madly as he walked into the circular field, excited for the next battle of the day.

Dustin gazed at the crowd, picking out the examinee's booth from the stands. Many of the rookies were watching intently; it seemed like they were studying him, deciding how well he'd do. The announcer's voice again boomed across the arena. "Now then, let's see what we have in store for our next participant!"

Dustin drew his fiery red dual swords as the other gates began to open, twirling the blazing hot blades in anticipation. He choked down his nervousness; now wasn't the time to lose focus. He thought he could see the monsters eyes in the darkness of its room, but they disappeared after shifting closer to the ground.

Dustin only had a second to wonder what it was before a massive brown beast charged out of the gate at him! Dustin quickly jumped out of the way, rolling to a stop and turning around to face the creature.

"…Damn."

* * *

"And Dustin will be facing a Barroth! This beast has been the bane of many rookie hunters; how will the young examinee fair in this battle?!" the announcer shouted.

"A friggin' Barroth!? That's something I wasn't expecting," Lyle said, looking at the battlefield. Sally looked worriedly at the beast. "Aren't those usually at least three-star monsters, though? Why would they send something like that out?" "Beats me, but I hope Dusty actually knows how to fight; this'll be one hell of a scrap."

Just then, Conner walked into the examinee booth. He went over to stand by Lyle and Sally. He looked around the booth quickly before asking;"Is it Dustin's turn already?" "Yeah, and he's got a much tougher monster than you did, bud. He's lucky, though; usually, a Barroth covers itself with a hard layer of mud. Weapons bounce off of it pretty easily, and it's a huge pain to remove without water," Lyle said. "That Barroth doesn't have any mud on it; makes it that much easier for him, at least."

Sally gasped as Dustin narrowly avoided the Barroth's tail. "Although he'd better hope he doesn't take a hit; hunter's armor isn't nearly as effective as most other types of protection. Even your Jaggi gear is more effective," Lyle continued, watching Dustin try to attack the monster's head, only for blade to bounce out of his hand.

"He should be fine," Conner said reassuringly. "Dustin seems to be a very competent hunter. I'm sure he'll be able to win." Lyle smirked at the comment. "Okay, sure, whatever you say." Conner gave him a look, but Lyle had already turned away. Sally didn't say anything, watching intently as the fight went on. She tightly grasped the red gemstone on her necklace all the while.

* * *

_Don't worry, he said, _Dustin thought to himself as he narrowly dodged the brute wyvern's tail. _It'll be easy, he said._ Dustin quickly turned and slashed with his left sword, cutting shallowly into the Barroth's leg. A small burst of fire followed, causing further harm. The Barroth seemed unfazed, however, and tried to ram him with its large head crest!

Dustin quickly jumped out of the way before again trying to attack the monster with the sword in his right hand. His blade bounced harmlessly off the Barroth's head crest, and he was forced to release the sword in order to keep his balance. He backpeddled furiously as the monster slammed its head into the ground he had been standing on just moments before! His lost weapon flipped through the air before landing tip first in the sand behind the Barroth.

_Dammit, it's hard enough trying to hurt this thing as is, but now I've only got one sword! I need to get the other one, quick, _he thought to himself. The Barroth stood between him and the other red blade, preparing to charge at him again. Suddenly, an idea came to him. ..._This'll probably kill me. Screw it, I'm going for it anyways._ As the beast charged at him, Dustin sheathed his remaining sword and rushed towards it! The crowd began cheering even louder at the rookie's seemingly idiotic charge.

Dustin wasn't paying attention to them, though; he tightened his focus on the monster that was barreling towards him. _I've got to time this just right…_ The distance between him and the Barroth closed extremely quickly; it was only about ten feet from him. It's head was still tucked low to the ground; the Barroth probably couldn't what he was doing. Time almost seemed to slow as he approached the monster, adrenaline coursing through his body.

_Now!_ Dustin timed his last step perfectly, digging his foot into the monster's head crest just as it reared its head! Dustin was flung into the air behind the Barroth, landing and rolling to a stop nearby his dropped sword completely unharmed. He yanked the blade free from the ground and drew his other sword as well.

At that point, not even Dustin's tightened focus on the large beast could allow him to ignore the roar of the crowd. Everyone was screaming in amazement at the feat he had just accomplished; the loud sounds only seemed to further agitate the Barroth, though. It reared its head back and released a loud, bellowing roar into the sky! Dustin was surprised at first; it didn't actually seem as loud as it should have, considering how close he was to it. He didn't dwell on it, though, and quickly flipped his dual blades into a reverse grip. _Alright, time to do some damage._

Dustin quickly ran at the monster, which was beginning to settle after its loud roar. He ducked underneath its head, sliding to a stop below the brute wyvern's underbelly. With reckless abandon, Dustin began to wildly slash his red blades around, cutting dozens of wounds into the soft flesh. Flames burst after every hit, charring the Barroth's hide more and more. The monster bellowed in pain as Dustin's assault furthered.

Suddenly, though, it turned at an amazingly fast speed! Dustin had been so focused on the attack, he failed to dodge as it kicked him square in the back, sending him reeling across the ground.

Dustin rolled to a stop in the sand, coughing a bit. He actually wasn't in much pain; it seemed like the armor took the full force of the kick. The blow had winded him, though, and as Dustin struggled to his feet, he turned to see the Barroth already charging straight at him! There wasn't nearly enough time to dodge, and he was in no condition to do what he had earlier. Dustin barely even had enough time to say one thing:

"Well, shit."

* * *

"DUSTIN!" Sally cried out in horror as the Barroth slammed its head crest into the hunter's gut! It continued its charge for a few more steps before whipping its head back, flinging Dustin through the air! He landed heavily on his back, rolling backwards and sliding to a stop lying face down in the sand. The crowd was filled with a roar of mixed emotions; shock, sympathy, surprise, horror, every sort of sound left the spectator's mouths.

"Huh, that looked like it kinda hurt…" Lyle said, gazing down at Dustin's motionless body. "Ah well, didn't expect him to get very far anyways." "Shut your damn mouth!" Conner retorted viciously. Lyle's eyes widened in surprise at the remark. "Since when were you so pissed off?" "Do you even care that you just saw Dustin get run down by that thing!? Do you?!" Lyle almost seemed to shy away at Conner's sudden change in tone; even Lyle was scared of Conner now that he was mad. The same wild look filled Conner's eyes as before. Lyle looked past Conner and saw tears beginning to stream down Sally's face.

"Well, I…" "I do not care what you think of him! Dustin is still a good person, and you don't even care about how Sally and I feel! I only met him yesterday, and I still think he is a great friend!" "Okay, I'm sorry! But even so, that doesn't change the fact that he's done for," Lyle said defensively." I know from experience just how much damage a charging Barroth can do, and with that armor he has, there's no way… he's…" Lyle trailed off as he turned to the arena floor.

Dustin was struggling to his feet; even from that high up in the stands, one could see a small pool of blood where he had been lying down in a heap moments before. "Dustin?" Sally said in both relief and surprise. "He is okay!? I cannot believe it!" Conner shouted in amazement. "What the fuck is that guy made out of!?" Lyle said, completely in awe at the fact that Dustin was back on his feet. "No one should be able to get back up after something like that!"

The Barroth, which had been roaring triumphantly, seemed surprised as Dustin struggled to his feet. The announcer and the crowd were going wild at the sight. "I don't believe it! Even after taking that big of a hit, Dustin's still able to keep going!" the announcer shouted. The crowd was chanting Dustin's name; they were all backing him and his resolve.

* * *

Blood flowed down Dustin's lip as he wearily stood up. His whole body ached with a pain such as he had never before experienced, but he still forced himself to stand. He coughed twice, splattering the sand with a few crimson droplets. He shot a piercing glare at the monster before him; despite his terribly injured state, the Barroth seemed frozen in fear at his expression.

**"I… will not… lose!"** Dustin shouted ferociously. He felt a sudden surge of energy flow through him; all the pain was replaced by an almost indescribable fury. A red aura seemed to form around him as he crossed his dual blades above his head!

With a vicious battle cry, Dustin dashed at the Barroth with inhuman speed! The beast was still frozen in shock as he tore into it, slashing his swords with demonic strength and speed. The blades tore deep into the Barroth's hide; far deeper than any other wound Dustin had inflicted. His arms were a blurred frenzy of motion, cutting innumerable gashes into the large wyvern at a breakneck pace. His swords cut through even the hardest parts of the monster's skin. The Barroth cried out in pain as Dustin's assault toppled it!

He didn't let up, though. Dustin continued hacking away as the beast fruitlessly struggled on the ground, and even a little after it had stopped. Dustin eventually stumbled back from the large monster's corpse; its underbelly was a charred mess of burned flesh that had been cut to ribbons. The crowd's cheering was the loudest it had ever been before; everyone was applauding the courageous victory he had achieved. The announcer was shouting something as well; Dustin couldn't hear it, though.

He fell down to his knees then, his injuries and weariness beginning to overcome him. His vision was blurry; everything seemed to shift and spin at a dizzying pace. He was even more fatigued than before; his sudden outburst had left him with no energy. Dustin fell forwards, his face partially sinking into the sand on the arena floor. He thought he could make out a few figures rushing over towards him, and hardly felt himself being lifted onto a stretcher before being carted out of the arena into a dark hallway.

The last thing Dustin saw before passing out was Sally rushing through the hall towards him.

* * *

_Silly Lyle; Dustin's armor is leagues stronger than anything he's seen. Of course, that won't stop it from hurting like hell when a Barroth rams you! I wonder how Dustin will be? Well, no, I don't, but you guys already knew that, right? ...Right? Anyways, thanks again for reading!_


	33. Chapter 33-Results

Chapter 33- Results

Dustin awoke in a soft bed. _Where am I?_ He began to sit up, blinking a few times. _Last thing I remember was that Barroth ramming me, and then…_ "Dustin! Thank god, you're finally awake!" Sally exclaimed, hugging him tightly. She was sitting next to the bed he was lying in. She had a bandage wrapped around her left arm, but otherwise she looked alright. "What happened?" Dustin asked, slowly gazing around the room. It was the same one they had gone to before they moved up to the stands; Conner had been leaning against one of the walls, but was now approaching the bed as well.

"Even I do not know. Everyone thought you were finished after the Barroth hit you. Somehow, you managed to keep going, which is very much an understatement. The monster handlers said that they have never seen anything as badly damaged as the Barroth's corpse."

"But that's not important right now," Sally interjected. "How are you feeling?" "Actually, I feel fine," he answered, almost surprised at his condition. "Exactly how long have I been out?"

"Just a few hours," Lyle said from across the room. Dustin looked over to where he was sitting; Lyle was closely inspecting the chest piece of Dustin's armor, which was laid out on one of the tables in the room. He apparently suffered a head injury, as there was a bandage wrapped around his forehead. "Only a few hours? You guys are kidding, right?"

"The doctor used a powerful potion on you," Conner elaborated. "It's one that is used to heal even the worst injuries at a fast pace." "But wait, if I've been out that long…" Dustin trailed off, staring at the bandages on Sally's arm. "I missed your fight!" She just smiled; "It's okay, Dustin. It wasn't easy, but I won. I didn't expect them to send a Gobul out." "You thought that Gobul was bad? Then I'm guessing you didn't see the bloody Rathian I had to fight!" Lyle quipped from across the room.

"The last fight just finished a short time ago," Conner said. "The officials are still deciding on who will pass and who will not. I am not concerned, though. I am certain we all proved ourselves capable enough to pass." "Capable? Conner, you tore that Qurupeco apart! I've never seen anyone fight like that!" Dustin remarked, recalling the fight he had witnessed. "In the land I am from, we are taught to fight like the monsters themselves; we use our instincts to do what we feel is most effective," Conner explained. "Of course, Qurupeco really are no challenge to me anyways. I have fought many before; this one was no different."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Point is, we all passed," Lyle confidently said, mainly directed at Dustin. "I gotta ask you one thing, though." "Yeah? What is it?"

"Where the hell did you get this armor? It looks like normal hunters armor, but I've never seen a set this strong before. There is no way any crafter I know could even come close to replicating it."

"It was my trainer's old suit. I guess he upgraded it in his spare time." "Well, your instructor is probably the greatest crafter known to man then," Lyle said with a hint of disbelief. "You don't know the half of it," Dustin replied.

"Either way, I... guess I owe you an apology," Lyle continued. "You're a much better fighter than I thought." "Wow. Never thought I'd hear you say that, Lyle," Dustin said with an amused smile. An irritated look crossed Lyle's face. "And don't expect me to ever say it again, ya hear?"

The man who had informed the hunters of their fights earlier entered the room then. "Are you four all set? It's time for the examinees to proceed to the arena for the results." "Yeah, we're good," Dustin said, standing up with no difficulty. He was surprised; whatever healing method the arena doctor had used had worked amazingly well.

Dustin and the rest of group seven followed the man to the same room that the hunters entered the arena through. All the other groups of examinees were there as well; none of them were sure if they had passed or not. Some looked at Dustin with amazement; plenty of them looked pretty beat up, and were surprised to see him up and about so quickly.

"Sal, didn't Conner say the medic used some kinda potion that healed me faster than normal? Why didn't anyone else get that?" he whispered to her. "Actually, Conner made the potion," she whispered back. "He just didn't want you to know." Dustin was surprised at the revelation. "Why?" "I'm not sure, but he's really good with medicine."

Soon, the large doors slowly creaked open, again revealing the large circular arena. However, the stands were completely empty; everyone who had been spectating before had already departed. In the center of the arena stood a few members of the Guild garbed in red. The large group of examinees proceeded towards them.

One of the men whose outfit was trimmed with gold spoke up as the young hunters approached. "Welcome, all of you. To begin, I'd like to thank all of you for applying; there is always a need for new hunters. It was thrilling to see all of you fight so valiantly against the monsters we pitted against you. But, as I'm sure you all know, not everyone passed." At that remark, a few of the examinees began to whisper amongst themselves; many were uncertain if they had made it or not.

"Also, there was a slight catch to this exam. We split you all into groups of four for a reason. Instead of passing any of you individually, we based our decision on how your other group members did as well."

Dustin noticed several faces in the group pale; clearly, they didn't like the prospect of dragging the others down. "This was to encourage team effort; each individual had to pull their own weight for the group, but still had to succeed on their own as well. For some of you, this is a good thing; even if you failed to defeat your target, you can still pass. For others, this will be your downfall. Anyways, without further ado, we will announce the group numbers that passed this year's Hunter's Examination!"

Sally held her breath as another Guild member handed the official a small envelope, which he opened very slowly. Conner looked anxious, but maintained his focused expression. Lyle merely stood with his irritated look; clearly, he wasn't thrilled by the attempt at suspense-building.

"The groups that passed are; Two, Three, Five, and Seven!" At that point, the large group was split into two; the ones that had passed were cheering at their success, while those that failed moaned in disappointment. Some of the examinees started to actually beat up on the others; probably the ones who should've passed blaming the ones who dragged them down.

"We did it!" Sally exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Dustin's neck in a tight hug. "Ow! Yeah, we did! Ow, please don't break my neck!" "Hey, if she does, can I have that armor of yours?" Lyle said with a hint of sarcasm. "Please, we have just passed the exam. Let us not talk about dying so soon," Conner said. The man in the gold trimmed outfit cleared his throat a few times, eventually getting everyone's attention.

"We would also like to congratulate group seven in particular. Your hunting prowess far exceeded the expectations we had of you; as such, we have seen fit to begin you all as Rank Three hunters! Congratulations, and well done!" The group was dumbstruck as the entire congregation cheered at their success; even the others who had failed cheered for them at that point.

"...Did that just happen?" Lyle said after a moment. "I do believe it did," Conner replied, equally surprised. "Hahahah! This is amazing! I can't believe it!" Sally exclaimed, tightly embracing Dustin again. "Sal... loosen... up... can't... breath..." Dustin choked out. Sally lightened her grip a bit, and Dustin inhaled deeply. "Sorry about that," Sally said, smiling apologetically. "No... no problem," Dustin said, gasping for air. Again, the man cleared his throat to regain the assembly's attention.

"For those that passed, welcome to the world of hunting. And to those who failed, we urge you to participate next year; spend your time honing your skills, and maybe next year you shall be accepted. The celebration will take place at the Guild tavern on the eastern docks. Please make your way there as soon as you are able. This banquet is being sponsored by the Guild, so feel free to have as much food and drink as you'd like. Again, I would like to thank you all for-" he was suddenly cut off as an airship loudly flew low over the arena walls!

"What in the blazes?! What is the meaning of this?!" the Guild member shouted in surprise as the ship slowed down to a hover a few hundred feet off the ground. Several of the other Guild members began to slowly back away, fearing the ship would attempt to land. All eyes were on the ship as it floated motionless in the air above the arena.

"HEY! DUSTIN!" a familiar voice called from above. Dustin gazed at the ship as Sally, Conner and Lyle looked at him questioningly. _Wait, was that…?_

Suddenly, a figure dressed in white leapt off the side of the ship! Several gasps could be heard at the sight of the man plummeting towards the arena floor, his arms outstretched. As he neared the ground, the figure moved one of his arms towards his torso before pulling a small string, releasing a large mass of cloth behind him! His descent slowed as air filled the parachute, before he cut it loose; he fell the remaining twenty feet.

He landed before the large mass of examinees with a loud thud, all of them staring at him with shock and amazement. Although the man's face was hidden by his hood, Dustin could tell who the man was easily; no one else was crazy enough to do something like that.

"So, did ya miss me?" York said, looking up at his apprentice from a crouched position. "York? Why the hell did you do that?" Dustin asked, still amazed at his mentor's flashy entrance. York laughed as he got to his feet. "Could you really expect anything less?"

The man in gold finally spoke up again. "Who in the name of- York? Oh, god dammit…" "Yeah, nice to see you too, Hank," York stated. A few chuckles could be heard from the crowd, and the guild official's face reddened in anger, but he remained silent.

"So, this is your mentor?" Sally asked, looking at York. "Well, more like personal trainer, but yeah. And who're you? New friend, I guess?" Dustin was relieved that York hadn't said 'girlfriend'; although he did like her, he was already getting sick of others joking about that.

"I'm Sally," she answered, also seemingly relieved he hadn't joked about them. "I'm Jessie's apprentice. She said she knew you back in training school." "Jessie… Jessie…" York said, as if trying to remember something. "Nope, doesn't ring a bell."

"I do believe I know where you get your fighting style from, Dustin," Conner said. "I do not think I have ever seen anyone perform a feat such as that besides you, and even this puts yours to shame." York laughed at the remark. "Well, your friend here is pretty well spoken, ain't he? What's your name?" "I am called Conner. I come from a land far out to the east." "Right, I think I've heard of it, but I don't think I can pronounce the name; no offense," York said. Conner had a bemused expression. "Not many from around here can, I am afraid."

"York? As in, the craftiest hunter who ever lived? HE was your tutor?" Lyle asked incredulously. "That... explains everything." "You guys are gonna have to fill me in on what 'everything' is, but yeah, I trained Dustin. You another one of his friends?"

York looked at Lyle for a second after asking before chuckling to himself; "Or do you two pretty much want to beat the shit out of each other constantly, while Conner's the one who has to break it up?"

"Okay, that seems almost too accurate to be a guess," Dustin said. Lyle actually laughed at the statement. "Yeah, pretty much. The name's Lyle."

"Well Dustin, looks like you've already got a pretty nice team here. Reminds me a lot of me and my friends when we were just out of the exam too. But listen to me go on like some old man; let's get going to the party already!" York led the new hunters out of the arena, with several of the other onlookers staring after him.

"It looked like that guy wasn't exactly thrilled when you... 'dropped' in. There a reason for that?" Lyle asked as they left the arena floor and entered a long hallway leading to the front gate.

"Who, Hank? Yeah, he pretty much hates it when people use his real name, and also when they make a fool outta him. It just so happens that yours truly does both on a near regular basis."

* * *

_How's that for a chapter? Not only are Dustin and company going to go after some tougher monsters than normal, but York's back too! Looks like everything's going good; now, it's time for a party! Anyways, thanks as always for reading, please review and follow, and have a nice day! Or night! Or whatever time it is by you; I can't tell from here. Peace!_


	34. Chapter 34-Reunion

Chapter 34- Reunion

Almost as soon as York, Dustin and the others left the front gates, they ran into Joshua. "Well well, I see that you all passed! Of course, I did see this coming." he said, eyeing the group's expressions. He turned to face York in particular. "York! It has been much too long. How have you been holding up, old friend?" "Well enough, I suppose," York answered. "Still doin' those crazy experiments of yours?" "That I am, although 'crazy' is such a derogatory term. I can see that you're still making hunting equipment. How is that armor?" York and Joshua continued to converse as they headed towards the tavern, followed by group seven.

Dustin noticed a familiar figure approaching them as they neared the tavern. "Dustin! There you are!" Richard exclaimed, rushing over to meet his son. "Are you alright? You don't look like someone whose been run down by a Barroth. God knows I've seen enough people who have." "Yeah, dad, I'm fine. We all passed the exam, too! I'm a hunter now!" Richard laughed. "Yes, and I couldn't be more proud."

"Wait, Dustin, you had to fight a Barroth?" York said, slightly impressed. "Yeah, I killed it after I got hit by a charge." "And that was after he vaulted over it," Sally added, her voice filled with admiration. "...Not bad at all, kid. But it still doesn't beat the Barioth Rose and I had to fight in our exam. Damn thing nearly took my eye out," York said, pointing to the scar over his right eye.

"Ah, you must be his trainer then? I'm Dustin's father," Richard said, holding out his hand. "Yeah, I'm York," he said, shaking his hand. "Could I have a name, though? 'Dustin's father' isn't much to go by." Richard laughed at York's question. "I'm Richard, although I much prefer Captain Rich." "Captain Rich, as in the one who drove off a Jhen Mohran two years back?" The Captain nodded. "Wait, Captain Rich is your father!?" York asked, completely shocked.

"Yeah, I guess I forgot to tell you; but in my defense, you never asked," Dustin replied, amused. "So, Captain Rich is your dad and you've been trained by York," Lyle said. "I swear, next thing I learn about you will probably be even more unbelievable."

"**YORK!**" a voice screamed from down the street. Everyone in the group turned towards the source of the voice, just in time to see a woman in Barioth armor charging straight at them! "Oh, shit…" York said, right before Rose tackled him to the ground!

"God dammit, what the hell were you thinking?! You didn't say you would jump off the friggin' airship! You had me worried sick! Don't do things like that!" she shouted as she shook his head back and forth on the ground.

"Ow, ow! Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Ow, enough with the head bashing already!" After she was satisfied that she had gotten the message across, Rose got up and allowed York to stand as well.

Everyone else in the group had silently watched the whole spectacle. "...Well, that was… strange…" Conner said. Rose nervously laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that, but York is such an idiot sometimes!" "Hey, I said I knew what I was doing," York said, rubbing the back of his head. Rose punched his arm before asking the others; "Anyways, how did you do, Dustin? Did you pass?" "Yeah, they passed us based on our group's performance as a whole. We all won our battles, so now we're all hunters!"

"Good job, you guys! I'll bet you're all ready to celebrate, right?" She began to mischievously look at York, who defensively put his arms up. "Whoa, whoa, hold on! I'm not paying this time!" "So, she's still making you pay for everything, York?" Joshua asked with an amused expression. "Some things never change." "Tell me about it…"

Lyle had been wordlessly staring at Rose the whole time, his face slightly red; he was clearly somewhat smitten with her. Dustin whispered to him before they entered the tavern; "Also, I got to share a house with her." "...Shut the fuck up."

* * *

The group proceeded into the tavern, where several of the tables were already filled with the other examinees who had passed the test. Several more experienced hunters sat with each other as well; they were the ones who instructed the newly graduated hunters. York, Rose, and Joshua went over to speak with many of them; most of them were old friends of theirs, back from the Hunters Academy. Dustin and his group sat at another table and ordered a large meal; since the Guild was paying for it, they all decided to splurge a bit.

The party lasted a long time, and eventually the sun set and the moon rose, with festive music playing and many tales of previous hunts being told. Since his father was there, Dustin hadn't been able to drink any alcohol, but he decided it was probably for the best; after looking over at the table York was at, he saw him desperately trying to keep Rose from drinking anything. He actually yanked the tankard out of her hand and threw it across the room; he earned a punch in the arm for that. Most of the others laughed; they were glad to see not much had changed between them. York said something to Joshua before heading over to Dustin's table.

"So, we all havin' fun yet?" he asked. "Yeah, looks like you are too!" Dustin replied, glancing at the table York had just been at. "So, why'd you come over here?" Lyle asked, putting down his tankard of ale; apparently, 'drinking age' wasn't in his vocabulary. "Well, I did a bit of thinking. You were all passed based on not only your own skills, but also on your group's as well. So, I decided that you should all stay in Loc Lac and hunt together." "Really? Are you certain that would be alright?" Conner asked.

"Yeah, I've already talked to most of your trainers anyways; they agreed to it, except for Sal's, but I haven't seen her at all. I'm sure you'll all be fine. If anything, it'll be good to have a team this early into your careers." "I guess that makes sense," Sally said. "Oh, and if it helps, Jessie usually wore armor made from Bnahabra parts." "Yeah, I still don't remember the name, but thanks anyways. Have fun hunting, you guys, and remember; always watch each other's backs," York said, beginning to head back to his table.

"I was almost hoping that he'd say that," Richard said. "I think it's a great idea for you all to go hunting together." "Yes, it would certainly make for a good start," Conner replied. "Well, I ain't got any objections to it, so I'm in," Lyle added. "Me too! What about you, Dustin?" Sally said. "Do you even need to ask? Of course!"

The new team began to share various stories with each other; Dustin told the story of how he and Zephyr felled the Royal Ludroth, while Sally recounted a tale of how she hunted a whole pack of Jaggis once. Lyle told a few stories about some of his hunts as well, although Dustin couldn't help but feel they were a bit embellished; there was no way he failed to capture a Qurupeco because an Elder Dragon showed up and ate it.

Conner told the greatest tales of all, though. The land he was from provided an entirely new experience to the others, who found themselves listening to the foreigner most of all. Many monsters they had never even heard of before stalked the lands, and the country sounded completely different from anywhere they had been. They talked and celebrated well into the night.

"Hey, I think that's Jessie!" Sal suddenly said, pointing at a pink haired woman dressed in purple. The rest of the group turned to look as well; Jessie was approaching York, who was still standing by his table laughing with an old friend. She tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. The two exchanged a few words, but Dustin could see a confused expression on York's face. Rose had eyed them warily, but York's expression seemed to calm her down. _Does he really not know who she is? _Apparently, York said as much, as Jessie suddenly let out an ear piercing scream!

** "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU DON'T REMEMBER ME!?"**

**"**Whoa, whoa! J-just calm down a second!" York said in a panicked tone. "It's been a long time since I've seen anyone from Pinleaf! I don't remember most of them, either! Look, there's Nate; I sure as hell don't remember him! And, uh, Wade; how could I remember him? And I completely forgot Luke over there, even though I know his father kinda well. Then there's Sam; she's just a blur in my mind!" Jessie still furiously screamed at him;

**"YOU JUST CALLED THEM ALL BY NAME!"**

"W-well, just because I remembered their names doesn't mean I really remember them, right... Janet?"

"**IT'S JESSIE! I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER ME, YOU IDIOT!"**

A look of surprised terror crossed York's face as she drew her bowgun, a heavy weapon made out of Rathalos materials; he barely ducked as she fired a normal round straight at his head!

"Son of a bitch!" York shouted, turning and sprinting out of the tavern; Jessie was hot on his heels, screaming after him and firing her bowgun at him! Everyone at the table burst out laughing at the sight, as did most of the tavern. Rose sighed before getting up and following as well.

"Well, that looks like that might end badly," Lyle said, looking out the door after them. "I can see why you don't want to head back to your village, Sal," Dustin said, also staring out the entrance. "Yeah, she always was a bit... crazy. I hope York'll be okay," Sally responded.

"Well, what's the worst that could happen?" "Dustin, please don't say that. Remember what happened last time?"

* * *

_And so, Dustin's hunting group has been formed! Seems pretty similar to York's, doesn't it? Seems some of Hugh's bad luck has been transferred to York, too. Crazy pink haired lady with a crush on him chasing him across Loc Lac with a heavy bowgun? That almost seems worse. Almost. I felt like this chapter was similar to _Downtime;_ kinda like a college party. Except with more weapons. Anyways, please review and follow, and thanks yet again for reading!_


	35. Chapter 35-Shadows

Chapter 35- Shadows

York peeked out from his hiding place as the fuming pink haired woman ran past. Fortunately, there had been a bale of hay he was able to jump into which completely hid his prescence; York had tried to hide under a box a few blocks earlier, but for some reason a man with a short beard and an eye patch was already underneath it. York could swear he saw an exclamation point over the man's head when he had been discovered.

Eventually, Jessie gave up searching that area and ran off in another direction, disappearing from sight while angrily muttering to herself. After he made sure the coast was clear, York climbed out of the hay bale, a few bits of straw falling off his robes. _Son of a bitch, what the hell was that about?_ He thought to himself. York quickly scanned the area; it was pretty late, but the moon and stars were able to illuminate the city in pale light. The shadows were long where the light didn't reach, though. It seemed like anything could be hiding in the inky blackness.

_Well, I am completely lost_. The pink-haired woman had chased him to a part of Loc Loc he had never been before, and everything was unfamiliar to him. York looked about for a bit longer before his gaze fell on a tall four story building. It was much higher than the other buildings around, and could probably provide a good vantage point. _Maybe I can climb up there and see where the tavern's at..._

York ran towards one of the walls before propelling himself up towards a window. Grabbing hold of the sill, he hoisted himself up further, scaling the facade using handholds one would never think existed. Before too long, York completed his climb and gazed across the city from atop his perch. There were some areas where torches lit the city, and a few windows were also bright, but aside from that Loc Lac was completely inactive; the desert town was utterly silent, bathed in the pale light of the moon.

Eventually, he picked out the tavern from the city scape. He sighed in relief at having some sense of direction. _Now, how the hell do I get down?_ York thought, looking down the wall he had climbed up. He saw the bale of hay he had been hiding in earlier, and a thought began to form in his head. "No, even I'm not that crazy," he said to himself, quickly trashing the idea. He spied a rope extending from one of the rooftops below towards the building he was on, and instead used his axe as a zip line to (somewhat) safely make it down a few stories. York rolled to a stop after dropping from the line, landing on the roof of a small shop.

"Hello, York." York quickly turned to face a dark figure standing atop one of the buildings above him. The moon was behind him, making it hard to pick out any specific details on his appearance. One thing stood out, though; the man's piercing red eyes. "It's been a while."

"I'm sorry, have we met?" York answered suspiciously. He could tell this guy was not here for small talk. "Yes, we have. I don't believe you could have forgotten who I am, even after all these years," the red eyed man stated. "Yeah, sorry, I've had a pretty bad time remembering people today. Who are you?" York saw the man's eyes narrow, as if in disgust. "I am Zeal."

York stood in stunned silence at the name. "Wait,- wha?! What!? Zeal?! How are you- is that really you!?" York exclaimed in surprise. "But how did you…?" "Survive? After you left me to die? You'd be surprised who lived through what you did to the village, York." Zeal's words were cold and emotionless. "What are you talking about!? I didn't leave you, I tried to help you! You and I were the only ones with any sense in the damn village! You were my friend!" York defended.

"Of course. Why else would you burn down the home your closest friend lived in while he was still in it? You certainly are a noble one," Zeal retorted. The comment was sarcastic, but the flatness of Zeal's voice made it seem almost creepy. "I didn't do that on purpose! I warned you, remember? The flames spread to your house. I couldn't stop them!"

"And, because of that, I nearly died," Zeal said, jumping down to the building York was standing on. Zeal clasped the face guard over his mouth before removing the piece completely, revealing his face. York was stunned at the sight.

Numerous scars covered Zeal's face, many of which looked like old burn wounds. The most prominent one was on the right side of his head, with five parts branching out across the bottom of his face; it looked almost like a hand covering his mouth. "This is what your 'justice' did to me. And now, I want revenge," Zeal said, placing the mask over his scarred face and drawing one of his black swords. Several other blades were attached to the handguard, making the weapon even more deadly.

"Look, I get that saying sorry won't fix anything, Zeal. But I can't change what happened. What good is fighting me going to do?" York said, trying to reason with his long lost friend. "Fighting you will do nothing. I intend to _kill you. _Of course, master said to leave it to Slate, but this is something I'll do myself."

"What? What 'master'?" York asked. "The one who will resurrect our god, York. He wants you out of the way, since you could prove to be a large threat. I'm certain you remember him, as well. But enough talk; are you going to defend yourself, or shall I just cut you down where you stand?"

York barely had enough time to draw his swords before Zeal lunged towards him! York blocked the sudden attack, but was forced further on the defensive as Zeal pressed on. The additional blades on Zeal's swords made defending against them even more difficult, especially since York's swords had thinner blades.

The only sounds that could be heard in the city then were the rapid exchanges of the blades striking each other repeatedly. Although York didn't want to harm his old friend, he realized it was only a matter of time before Zeal landed a hit. _What the hell happened to him?! He's seriously trying to kill me!_

Thinking quickly, York somersaulted under Zeal's next swing! Zeal turned quickly, thrusting his left hand sword at York! York anticipated this, though. In one fluid motion, York dodged the attack and thrust his blade through the handguard of Zeal's sword, pinning it to the wall. He rammed Zeal with his shoulder, forcing him to let go of the sword. "Not bad, York. I see you haven't spent these years doing nothing," Zeal said, quickly regaining his balance.

"Zeal, I don't want to hurt you," York said. "But don't say I didn't warn you if something bad happens to you." For once, Zeal laughed; it was still emotionless, though, and only further troubled York. "Good; at least I know you'll be fighting seriously now."

Again, Zeal dashed at York, swinging the deadly blade he held amazingly fast. York deflected the attack, stepping on the flat of Zeal's sword in the process and driving it into the roof they stood on. Zeal reacted quickly, jumping back from his other dropped weapon and drawing a long dagger made from a black bone.

He stabbed at York with the knife, which York quickly blocked. Zeal had been anticipating that, though; he quickly twisted the blade of his dagger and caught it in the handguard of York's sword before pulling it out of his grasp! The clear blue saber clattered across the roof behind Zeal, who again dashed at York.

York drew the short tomahawk from his belt, catching the dagger beneath the blade. York tried to disarm Zeal again, but was sent stumbling back as Zeal caught him with a left hook! He barely blocked the next attack as well, swinging his axe just in time to knock the black bone dagger aside. York quickly drove his knee into Zeal's gut, sending the red eyed man back a few feet. He again lunged forwards, and the two locked blades, staring fiercely at each other; York's clear blue eyes contrasting Zeal's bright red.

"Zeal, give it a rest already!" York said, pushing his axe against the bone dagger. "No, I don't think I will. I never was one to quit, now was I?" Zeal retorted, struggling against York as well. York was suddenly pushed back as Zeal heaved with great strength, shoving him back towards the edge of the roof!

"Then again, neither was I!" York shouted before he threw the axe at Zeal; he barely evaded the blade as it flew past him flipping end over end. York narrowly rolled away as Zeal slashed at him. Zeal again lunged at him, but York sidestepped the strike and shoved Zeal back. Thinking quickly, York released the blade from his bracer! "

Zeal apparently didn't see the blade in the dark, though. As Zeal lunged at him, York quickly side stepped sliced a thin wound through Zeal's left arm! At the same time, though, York felt Zeal's dagger cut through the sleeve of his robes and into his arm as well. The two again turned to face each other, blood flowing from the matching injuries they just inflicted on each other. Zeal looked intently at the blade extending from York's wrist, scowling.

"The owner of that tailspike isn't happy about you using it, York," Zeal said, his words like ice. "And he would like to meet you, as well." "...What do you mean?" York asked, beginning to step back towards the sword he planted in the wall earlier.

"This."

Suddenly, a large black creature landed on the roof to York's left, sending a large gust of wind in all directions! York looked in surprise at the Nargacuga as its piercing eye bore into him; it seemed almost familiar to him. "What the hell? How did a Nargacuga get into the city?!" York exclaimed, pulling the sword free from the wall. "Not just any Nargacuga, York. Meet Blood-eye, the one you very nearly killed four years ago!"

York's heart skipped a beat. _What? That's impossible! There's no way it's the same one! Nothing could survive having its head stabbed like that!_ York thought, staring at the scars on the creature's head. The beast craned its neck upwards before roaring into the sky with pure anger! York had to resist the urge to cover his ears; the Nargacuga's roar was incredibly loud.

"Are you prepared to die, York?"

The beast lunged at him, and York quickly ducked underneath its wing and rolled over to his other sword, retracting the blade in his bracer at the same time. The Nargacuga launched several tailspikes at him, and York quickly dove to the side, with the spikes embedding themselves in a wall just behind him!

However, Zeal was waiting. Without warning, he suddenly swung one of the swords he had also recovered at York, cutting a shallow wound in his leg! Although he was forced to drop to one knee, York quickly retaliated, forcing Zeal back with a pair of fast sword swings. The Nargacuga jumped next to Zeal, its single red eye leaving a trail as its head moved. York looked quickly between his two adversaries, sweat beginning to form at his brow. _Shit, this is getting bad..._

Again, the beast charged at him, but York couldn't dodge he attack on his bad leg! It was a light hit, but still York was knocked back onto the ground as the Nargacuga passed. Zeal leapt in the air, bringing both of his swords in a downward thrust directed at York's head! York quickly rolled out of the way and hurled one of his blades at the Nargacuga, striking its side with the green crystal-like blade as it passed. The blade embedded itself in a wall behind the black beast, which growled in pain at its new injury.

York again released the blade in his bracer as Zeal attacked him again, blocking all of his attacks with his remaining weapons. Zeal quickly locked weapons with him again before throwing his arms up, throwing York off guard! He delivered a strong kick to York's chest, sending him back several feet into a wall. York fell to the ground, but planted the sword in the roof to support himself as he tried to stand up.

"You can't win, York," Zeal said coldly. "Nothing can save you now."

"I... wouldn't say that, Zeal," York said, huffing as he struggled to his feet.

"And why would that be?"

"Because... if I know my luck, I'll get some help right about… now."

Almost as if on cue, several bowgun rounds and arrows suddenly flew towards the Nargacuga! It howled in pain as the projectiles tore into its flesh before it jumped back to avoid the next volley! Zeal attempted to attack York again, but someone leapt between the two, blocking Zeal's swords with his red Agnaktor blades!

"Well York, looks like you've been having fun," Dustin said, pushing Zeal back with a kick. "So have you. It took you guys long enough," York replied sarcastically, looking at the rest of the group that had come to help.

Rose, Joshua, Sally, Conner, Lyle, and Richard were all there as well; the blade masters joined York while Rose and Sally found better vantage points on the nearby roofs. York couldn't help but feel a little disappointed looking at Joshua; all the others were wielding strong, well made weapons while he clutched his shark-shaped lance by its tail. The sight of the oversized gag weapon was absolutely ridiculous. _Someone's going to need a new weapon..._ he thought, before turning to face the red eyed man.

"So Zeal, like the odds now?" York said. Zeal eyed the large group of hunters that had appeared to help York. "Since your buddy decided to announce himself, there are probably even more of us on the way right now," Lyle said, brandishing his large hammer. "How would you like to fight an army?"

"...Hmph. I'll back off for now, but remember, York; we will have our vengeance one day. Sleep with one eye open..." Zeal sheathed his swords before leaping onto Blood-eye's back, and the Nargacuga dashed off across the rooftops before disappearing from sight.

"The fuck was that about?" Lyle asked, still gripping his hammer. "It would seem you have quite the enemy," Conner said. "Is that one of the people we've been hearing about? The ones who use monsters as mounts?" Richard asked. York stared in the direction Zeal had fled. "Unfortunately, yes."

"York! Are you okay?" Rose worriedly asked, hurrying over to him. "Yeah, I've been worse... Ugh, thanks for the save," York replied, grimacing a bit as a flood of pain washed over him. "I'll be the judge of that," Joshua said, removing his skull mask. "Let me take a look at those wounds of yours." "...Fine, but don't use any of those weird potions, alright? I trust you and all, but I don't trust the shit you make." "Don't worry, York, I've got a few herbs we can use," Rose reassured, crouching next to him.

"How did a monster get into the city though? That shouldn't be possible..." Sally said worriedly, slinging her bowgun across her back. "I'm not sure, but what I do know is that there's going to be a lot of commotion tomorrow," Richard answered. "I think it would be best if we were to lay low for bit, though. Dustin, you and your friends just passed the exam, so you should probably just begin hunting. York, Rose, I'd like you to remain here. I need to talk to you."

Joshua finished helping York with his injuries before asking; "What would you like me to do then?" "Just keep helping Dustin and the others. I'll let you know if something comes up, alright?" York said. Joshua nodded before he left with Dustin, Sally, Conner, and Lyle. "York, I need to ask you something," Richard said after the others left. "Why did that man target you? He said something about revenge." York and Rose glanced at each other quickly, before York answered.

"Look, I get that you want to know, but I think it would be best if we just said that I made a lot of people mad a really long time ago." Richard looked like he wanted to ask more, but instead he simply sighed. "Well, I suppose you have your reasons. I won't pry for info." "Do you think we'll have to stay here to answer the investigator's questions, though?" Rose asked.

"Chances are they'll try to hold us if we say we know anything, and this isn't exactly something we want floating around," York said. "Speaking of which, our ship leaves tomorrow, and I really don't want these tickets to go to waste; they pretty much bankrupted me already." Rose lightly punched his arm at the unnecessary comment, but Richard didn't seem to notice as he stood for a moment, deep in thought.

"You're probably right. If it's that important, I'll try to help you two as well. We may as well try to pass it off as a freak accident. I'll get rid of those spike in the wall, and then we can get moving." Once he removed the black spikes from the wall, the three quickly left the scene. Fortunately, anyone who had heard the commotion was either too tired or too scared to go out and watch, leaving no witnesses. York could hear a crowd of people from the tavern approaching, though, and was glad they made it out of there when they did. Rose had to help him walk, though; he was still injured from the fight, and the herbs hadn't fully begun to work yet.

After they moved for a bit, they stopped to rest on a bench on the side of the street. A sly grin suddenly crossed Rose's face. "I think I have an idea what the 'accident' could be!" York looked quizzingly at her. "Please don't let this involve money..." "Joshua was there, right? Let's just say one of his experiments went badly. Everyone should find that more than believable."

Richard let out a short laugh. "As cruel as that might seem, it's also very true. He almost blew up one of the inns he stayed at a few months back; its been like that ever since." York sighed; "Yeah, I've heard the stories."

"Think we should tell him before we pin this up on him?" Rose asked, looking at York.

"...Nah."

* * *

_Hmm... looks like Zeal's got quite a bit of backstory, huh? Maybe I'll do a one shot about him and York back in Crez; it would clear up plenty, I'm sure. Seems York's pretty genre savvy, though, am I right? It just isn't possible to fall four stories into a bale of hay and live; sorry, Assassin's Creed, but that's a bit crazy. And he also correctly guessed when he would get some help, too; it's amazing how that works out sometimes, am I right? Still, I do like writing these fight scenes; hell, before too long I'll actually detail a barfight! Thanks yet again for reading, remember to review and follow!_


	36. Chapter 36-Trouble

_Hello once again, my good friends! Sorry about the time between these posts; it seemed like a long time for me, and I do hope it didn't feel the same for all of you! So, who missed Hugh and co.? I know I did; they've been having all sorts of adventures while the others were out, right? Well, maybe not; house sitting ain't exactly something that's fun to write about. But then again, this IS me were talking about; let's see what they've been up to, eh? Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 36- Trouble

_Meanwhile, in Moga Village…_

"York's going to be pissed," Hugh said as Karah finished wrapping a bandage around his bleeding foot. The house was a complete disaster; even more so than it normally was, and that's saying something. There were several small holes in the floor, and several shelves had been knocked off the wall, spilling all manner of objects onto the already messy floor. It looked like a tornado had blown through the house!

* * *

_About five minutes earlier…_

"Wonder what this is?" Hugh said, picking up one of York's creations; it looked like some kind of bowgun. He slid the section under the barrel back and forth, hearing a metallic racking sound. Hugh whistled at the noise. "Damn, this thing sounds like it could kill." Karah entered the living room from the kitchen, carrying a small plate of food.

"And you're sure they won't mind that we ate some of their food, right?" She asked. "Probably not. York complains about money, not starving," Hugh replied, looking down the sights of the gun. Karah looked at it with interest. "Well, we're going to have to pick up the kitchen before they get back. Last night's party didn't exactly leave the place sparkling. What're you doing?" "Looking at some of York's things. Doesn't this seem pretty cool?" He answered, relaxing his posture and pointing the barrel towards the floor.

"Yeah, but what is it?" "No idea. Looks like a bowgun without the 'bow' part." "Does it work?" "Dunno. Seems like it should," he responded, shrugging. Except, the motion made him tighten his grip on the trigger, causing the gun to go off! A loud bang erupted from the barrel of the gun, releasing numerous sharpened pieces of buckshot straight down!

Several of the rounds tore into Hugh's left foot, causing him to yelp in pain and drop the gun. He hopped around on one foot, grasping the other with both hands and screaming in pain. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Why the FUCK did he leave rounds INSIDE THE GUN!?" Hugh shouted as he hopped about. "Look out!" Karah called, trying to warn him about something.

He soon learned what she was trying to tell him; Hugh slipped on a large scale on the floor, falling forwards straight into several shelves on one of the walls! He knocked most of the objects on the shelves to the floor, falling down as well. Scales, bones, and other monster parts spilled across the living room. One of the shelves Hugh crashed into fell off the wall, landing right between his legs!

"Ow… Why me..." "Hugh! Are you okay?!" Karah exclaimed, lifting the board off of him. "No… No, no I am not…" Hugh responded, holding his bleeding foot with both hands. "Let me get some bandages, I'll be right back!"

* * *

Hugh sat on the equipment box York kept his weapons and armor in as Karah finished wrapping his foot. "There, that should be better. How's it feel?" Karah asked. "Pretty good, all things considered. Thanks," he responded, standing up. A few red splotches appeared on the bandages, but otherwise the injuries were mostly dealt with. "It's a good thing those potions work so well." "Yeah, but I think we may have a problem…"

"What?" Hugh asked, before looking around the room. "Oh, shit. York's going to be pissed." There were numerous holes in the floor where Hugh had accidently fired the gun, along with a few bloodstains on the wooden surface. Innumerable monster parts lay scattered across the floor, along with a few decorations and objects York had made. The shelves on the wall were all crooked, with a few no longer even attached.

"This is bad… They asked us to house sit, not wreck the place even more!" Karah said, gazing around at the mess. "They'll be back tomorrow, so I think we have time to clean it up," Hugh answered encouragingly. "But I don't think the floor's going to be an easy fix…"

A knock on the door practically stopped both of their hearts. The couple looked at each other, extremely worried expressions on their faces. "How are we going to explain this to them!?" Karah whispered. "I dunno, but why would York or Rose knock on the door to their own house? Maybe it isn't them," Hugh whispered back. "Go answer the door, I'll try to start clearing some of the things out of the way," she said, beginning to fix the shelves.

Hugh opened the door slowly, careful not to allow too much room to see the disaster behind him. To his relief, the person standing at the door was not York. "Is York here?" a man in a guild uniform asked urgently. "No, he's out in the city for a few days," Hugh responded. The man cursed at the news. "Listen, this is really important. Are you an experienced hunter? Can you come with me?" "Whoa, hold up a sec. One, what's this all about, and two, where is it you're trying to get me to go?"

The man sighed in frustration, but answered anyways. "We need to get to the tavern. An Azure Rathalos attacked a group of hunters in the Flooded Forest!" "Wait, what!? Do you know who?!" Hugh asked, worried. "No, it was a couple of rookies. One of them was pretty badly injured, and the other was saying something about a third member, but that's all I know." "Son of a- Just give me a sec, okay?"

Hugh turned around quickly, rushing back into the house. "Hugh! What is it? Is something wrong?" Karah asked, confused. "Yeah, there is," Hugh said, beginning to strap on his Rathalos armor. "I need you to come with me to the tavern. Get suited up; we might have a situation on our hands." Karah, although confused, did what he asked anyways, and soon they were running to the tavern along with the man from the guild.

A few hunters were gathered outside, trying to gain entry, but were held back by a few people wearing Guild uniforms. The man allowed the pair to enter, causing a small outburst in the crowd the officials were holding back. Inside, the tavern was completely empty except for the center of the room; several tables had been pushed together, and someone was lying on them surrounded by medics. A single hunter- a rookie by the looks of it- stood off to the side, looking worriedly at the makeshift operating table.

"What the hell happened?!" Hugh asked the young hunter. "I-I-I don't know! There was- We were just-!" the young man stammered. "Calm down a sec, then answer," Karah said in a soothing voice.

The young man took a few deep breaths, regaining a bit of his composure. "I went out on a quest with a friend of mine and an older hunter. We were hunting a Royal Ludroth, nothing too difficult. But then- then a giant blue dragon flew down at us! It was breathing fire in every direction, burning everything! It launched a fireball at Finch; he blocked it with his shield, but his arm was really badly burned! The old man tried to drive it off while I carted Finch outta there, but when I looked back I saw him get launched off a cliff! We barely got away!"

"What!? Felix is… no, he can't be... What about Finch?!" "The medics are trying to help him, but... he's out cold. I don't know, I just don't know…" the young hunter said, again gazing at the tables surrounded by medical personal. Hugh and Karah left the hunter alone; it was getting to be too much for him at this point.

"An Azure Rathalos? In the forest? Since when does that happen?" Karah asked, confused. "It doesn't. Rathalos stay away from the forest, and Rathians usually don't stay there for too long. There's no way that kid could've mistaken the two, either; he said it was blue," Hugh said, deep in thought. "We won't learn anything just trying to piece it together, though. We need to go to the forest and search the area. Hopefully, we'll find Felix too. That old coot couldn't have kicked the bucket that easily."

Karah looked uneasy. "I don't know… If it is an Azure Rathalos, we'll need more help if it's still around. Especially if it is one of those people." "We can get Zephyr to help out too. Come on, Karah, this isn't something we can just ignore! If it does try to attack us, we'll just do our jobs and kill the damn thing. We gotta find Felix!"

"…Alright. I trust you. Let's go," Karah said. They quickly exited the tavern, informing the man from earlier what they planned to do. Although he protested the idea, eventually he caved in. "Alright, fine, I can let you go out there. Don't blame me if you end up like the kid, though." They made their way through the crowd towards the docks. "Hugh! What's going on?"

Zephyr joined the three as they left the crowd. He was already armored; his long sword was slung across the back of his Lagiacrus armor. He carried the helm underneath his arm, allowing his hair to fall down to his shoulders. "An Azure Rathalos attacked Finch's hunting party in the Flooded Forest. Felix is missing, too. We're going to check it out. And before you ask, yes, you can come along." Zephyr nodded and joined them as they boarded the Guild airship used for High Rank quests; it was the fastest way they could get to their destination.

"Still, for an Azure Rathalos to attack hunters in the forest… It's unheard of," Zephyr said, deep in thought. "Which is why we're going out there," Hugh replied. "I really hope it is just a Rathalos, though; I don't think anyone who would ride one is someone I'd want to mess with..." Karah said.

"I don't think anyone would," Hugh said. "But they messed with me first' and I'll be damned if I'm going to let them get away with this."

Zephyr nodded in acknowledgment. "Of course. Even if they are responsible, that doesn't mean we can't fight them off. These people usually attack in either a small group or individually, right? It's three of us against two of them at most. We can handle it, as long as we stick together.

* * *

_Well, how's that for house sitting? Not a bad job, if I do say so myself; that was more of a horrendously awful job. Looks like the Azure Rathalos came back, too; did Felix really kick the bucket? And what about Finch? I might be down a couple side characters... But hey, I'm always looking for some more outside sources as well; if anyone of you has a character you want included, feel free to ask! I can't promise I'll be able to fit everyone into this story, but I will let you all in on a secret; this probably won't be the only story I do. Well, we'll just have to wait and see! At least, you all will; I have to write it. Thanks again for reading, yadda yadda yadda, you know the rest._


	37. Chapter 37- Brother

_Greetings, my faithful reader! Tis a great day for us all; I finally got MH3U for the Wii U, you all get to enjoy another chapter of The Hunter's Oath... How else can it get any better? ...Actually, reading the chapter might help, so why not do that instead of listening to me babble? Well, that'll probably happen once I stop typing this, won't it? And I suppose you can't listen with your eyes either... Whatever, as much fun as this is, it's time for chapter 37! Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 37- Brother

As the airship neared the Flooded Forest, a light drizzle began to fall. The area was afflicted with an endless downpour, due to its climate. Because of this, the forest was overgrown with vegetation and teeming with life; the perfect place for a hunt. Everything seemed oddly… peaceful, considering what had just transpired there. As the ship neared the center of the forest, one of the airship workers gave the three hunters small backpacks.

"It ain't safe fer us ta land, so here's yer ticket off," the man said, handing Hugh one of the packs containing the cloth parachute. "I always hated that about quest airships… They're faster, sure, but you'd have to be crazy to actually jump off of one," Karah said, strapping on her chute. "Karah, if there's one thing you should know about us, it's that we're all crazy," Zephyr stated, sliding his helm on. "I'd argue if he wasn't completely right," Hugh said, watching as the long sword user leapt off the side of the ship.

Hugh and Karah followed after Zephyr, and as the group neared the canopy, they deployed their parachutes, slowing down to a crawl several dozen feet above ground. "Look, over there!" Zephyr said, pointing off towards the north. Hugh and Karah saw what he was gesturing towards; part of the forest was burned away, revealing an area nearby a large cliff with several small fires burning throughout!

"That must be it! Come on!" Hugh shouted, cutting his chute loose and falling the remaining ten feet. He landed hard on his bad foot, but Hugh ignored the pain he felt as he recovered. Karah and Zephyr landed behind him, and the three ran towards the sight of the attack.

* * *

"…This is horrible…"

Karah covered her mouth in shock as they arrived at the charred mess of a clearing. Numerous trees were blackened by the intense fire the wyvern had been breathing not long before. The ground was almost completely barren; a few flames razed what was left of the local vegetation, hissing as the rain fell upon them. Near the center of the area, numerous broken trees lay splintered into numerous small chips of wood; something big had crashed through them. All the trees were felled in the same direction; towards a large cliff that dropped into a murky river some hundred feet below.

The hunters quickly surveyed the area, inspecting the damage done by the flying wyvern. Hugh pulled an azure scale from one of the splintered trees. "I think this is proof enough of our culprit," he said, grasping the scale in his hand. Zephyr was looking down the cliff into the river below, while Karah was checking some of the trees on the other end of the clearing.

"…Where is it? We didn't see it flying around while we were in the airship, so where did it go?" Zephyr said, gazing down the cliffside. "Could it have flown off already?" Karah asked, walking over to where he stood. "I don't think so; the surrounding area's filled with outposts; they'd notice if it had left," Hugh said, also joining Zephyr. The long sword user turned from the cliff to face the others; "We might as well search for it. Let's stick together, though," he said.

A deep growling sound suddenly filled the area! The three instinctively drew their weapons, backing away from the cliffside and towards the center of the area. "Where is that coming from?" Karah quickly asked, vigilantly scanning the area. "I don't know; it sounded almost like it was… beneath us…" Hugh said, watching the ground.

Zephyr once again approached the cliff, carefully peering over the edge. "I think I can see a cave entrance, but…" He suddenly yelped in surprise and backpedalled away from the cliff as a large azure colored monster flew out from the cave! It beat its wings several times, flying higher and higher with each flap. The Rathalos flew several circles around the area, watching the hunters that stood with their backs to each other.

"Wait… what's that on its back?" Hugh asked, squinting to try and focus better on the creature. Even at that distance, one could pick out a figure sitting on the flying wyverns back. He wore armor made from the same materials as the monster he rode, except he was helmetless. He had medium length silver hair, and brandished a large ivory great sword in one hand. "Looks like we know who was behind this…" Karah said, tightly gripping her sword made from Gobul parts. "Zeph, you owe me five gold for being right," Hugh quickly stated. "Hugh, now is not the time for our bet to-"

The hunters were forced to quickly dodge as the Rathalos suddenly dive-bombed them! It flew a few feet above the ground, its claws tearing up the earth as they passed. The beast swiftly turned to face the hunters, who were by now recovering. It flapped its wings with great force, sending dirt and soil flying as it hovered in place. The azure wyvern let out a loud roar, sending several birds in the trees fluttering away and causing Hugh and Zephyr to wince at the piercing sound. The man sitting on its back studied the three, his gaze falling to Hugh last. A mad grin suddenly broke across his face.

"Bro! It's been way too long!" he shouted. Hugh blinked twice in amazement. _Was… was that…?_ "Slate? Is that you!?" Hugh shouted back. The silver haired man laughed in response. "Good, you do remember me! Although I'm sure the hair probably threw you off…"

Zephyr looked at Hugh, and although his helmet masked his expression, it was pretty clear he was surprised. "You have a brother?" Karah was just as shocked. "You never told us this!" "That's because I thought he was dead," Hugh responded, keeping his focus on the azure beast before them.

"What the hell are you doing riding an Azure Rathalos?!" Hugh shouted, taking a step forward as he did. "Isn't it obvious, little bro? THIS is what real power is! I can fight anything now, be it on the land or in the sky! I've found a way to become stronger; the strongest, even!" Slate responded, a broad grin across his face. "Just think; the first hunter to ever fly on a Rathalos! And it listens to me alone; just think of all the monsters I can hunt this way! It's the greatest feeling to know that you're on top of the world, bro!"

"You think you can call me 'bro' after siding with those bastards?! They kill people, Slate! For no reason!" "Well, there's a lot more to it than that, Hugh. Why would we go about senselessly killing people for no purpose? Trust me; our plans go a lot farther than this." "What do you mean?" Karah asked, worried. Slate merely laughed at the response. "That, babe, is something that I'd love to tell you, but unfortunately I can't. If you want to join up, though, I'd be willing to do more than just share stories with you..."

"Shut up!" Hugh shouted angrily, getting an amused expression from Slate. "Oh, so you finally got a girl then? Bravo, Hugh!" "Why did you join them?!" "...Alright, I see you don't want to chat then. Tell me something, Hugh; you know what it's like to freeze at the bottom of an icy ravine for three days straight after losing a pint of blood? Knowing that the people who should have been there to help wrote you off as dead? It definitely changes your opinion of things, bro. It also makes you more grateful when someone saves your life!"

"So, murderers save your life, and you decide it's smarter to join them than to stop them?" Zephyr asked. "I'll admit, it took some getting used to, but last thing I want is that fucking Guild to allow people like my old partners to hunt! Not a care in the world for a lost comrade, stealing supplies from others..." "So that's what you're all trying to do? Destroy the Hunter's Guild?" Karah said, dumbfounded at the idea.

"Nah, that's just a personal vendetta. You thought I'd say what our real plans are? Not a bad plan you had, actually. I always did like smart women... You sure you don't want to join?" "Slate, I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but there is no way I'm gonna let you keep doing this!" Hugh shouted, his voice seething with anger. "What, trying to pick up a hot babe or the whole 'wyvern-riding-death-machine' thing?" Hugh's response was to tighten his grip on his great sword; sparks began to flash along his blade as electricity crackled about it. The thunder element within the Lagiacrus sword seemed to respond to Hugh's rage; the electricity soon began to spark about him as well, the intense energy he was building up streaming around his armor.

"Personally, I don't want you doing either, ya bastard!" Hugh began to charge at the Rathalos, dragging his sword behind him! The thunder his blade released kicked up the earth from behind him as he approached the wyvern, lighting up the whole area with incredible brightness! "Hugh! Wait!" Karah cried out as he dashed madly at the beast.

"That's what I want to see! Looks like you may have gotten better after all!" he shouted. His mount began to back up a few feet into the air; it was going to charge at them again! Slate propped his ivory great sword over his shoulder, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Alright, look out! I'm comin' atcha, bro!"

The Azure Rathalos flew straight at them yet again; Hugh was unfazed by it. As the monster neared, he unleashed a vicious roar and swung the broad side of his blade at the side of its head! The blade smashed into the Azure Rathalos's skull, knocking its head aside and forcing it to crash land!

Slate had jumped off at the last minute, though, and swung his massive blade down at Hugh! Hugh quickly blocked the strike, bracing his other arm against his sword to defend against the weight of the impact. He slid back a few feet before quickly recovering and swinging his blade at Slate! The silver haired man also swung his sword, the blades connecting in a flash of lightening!

Sparks danced from the large swords as Hugh and Slate struggled against each other, neither one backing down an inch. Jolts of electricity ran through the blades and into each of them; they were both soaked from the drizzle, conducting the elements from the swords.

"Not bad, little bro! But don't expect me to go easy on ya after hurting Blaze like that!" Slate said with a devilish grin. Hugh also grinned back, but it wasn't at all with any sort of kindness. "You better not, cause I'm gonna beat the shit outta you either way!" Hugh shoved Slate back before swinging his great sword at him!

* * *

"Karah, look out!" Zephyr shouted. She barely avoided another fireball the wyvern had launched, the heated ball flying past her and colliding with a tree. Flames burst from the impact, smoking as the rain began to douse the fire. The beast finally landed, sending out a forceful gust of wind in all directions! Zephyr shielded himself out of instinct, being pushed back by the gust. He recovered just in time to avoid the wyvern's spiked tail!

Karah quickly got to her feet and charged at the monster, jumping through the air and bringing her sword down on its side! She didn't cut deeply into the Azure Rathalos's hide, though; her blade bounced off as it began to sink in a bit deeper. Zephyr had also rejoined the fray, swinging his icy long sword at the creatures head. He managed to hit the right side of its head, a thin cut running along where the blade had hit.

Before he could do any serious damage, the beast took off into the air again, launching a fireball at him as it went! Zephyr narrowly avoided the attack, but was sent reeling by the shockwave from the impact; his helmet was blown off by the force. "Dammit! We can't do anything to it as long as it's flying around!" Zephyr shouted, shielding his face from the heat as he recovered.

"Hang on, I've got an idea!" Karah said, holding her sword behind her. Zephyr looked quizzingly at her. "What are you-" Karah suddenly threw her sword at the Azure Rathalos! It flipped end over end, arching through the air and into the monster's flight path! The blade pierced its side, releasing the paralytic toxins from within. With a surprised roar, the azure beast crashed into the clearing again, struggling to control its body. Her sword came free from the impact, landing not far from the two.

Zephyr stared in astonishment at her. "How in the blazes did you pull that off?" "Lots of practice," she replied, picking up her sword. She quickly glanced over at Hugh; he was still fighting with Slate, electricity sparking around them dangerously as their swords connected again and again. As much as she wanted to help him, it wouldn't be safe to get near them; it almost seemed as though a lightning bolt could form from the contact!

"Looks like we only pissed him off," Zephyr said. He was right; the azure beast had already regained its movement, and flames were filling its mouth in anger. The beast let out a loud roar before charging at the two again! Karah, unfazed by the sound, quickly shoved Zephyr out of the way before dodging the Rathalos herself.

Just then, Karah noticed that they were positioned with their backs to the cliff. "Zeph, we need to move, now!" she shouted, turning to face him as he got up. He looked past her, a surprised expression crossing his face. "Watch out!"

The Azure Rathalos had begun to swing its tail at the huntress! She brought her shield up just in time to block, several of the spikes protruding from the shield snapping off from the impact. The force sent her sliding back, though; Karah couldn't stop as she went over the edge of the cliff! Her sword fell from her grasp as she plummeted, frantically throwing her arm out to try and catch something to hold onto.

Luckily, she managed to grasp a thick root that had grown out of the cliffside! Fortunately, it held, and she stopped herself from falling. The sword, though, tumbled down into the river below, disappearing underneath the murky water. Karah sighed in relief, beginning to try and pull herself up.

She gasped as pain shot through her shield arm! She looked at her limb in dismay; the Rathalos's tail had severely damaged the shield, and the impact had felt like it had cracked several of the bones in her arm. Karah could do nothing as she dangled from the root, holding on for dear life. She gulped in fear as she felt her grip begin to fail.

* * *

"Karah!" Hugh worriedly shouted, seeing her go over the cliff edge. "You lost focus, Hugh!" Slate suddenly shoved him back, a wall of electricity seemingly assisting him. Hugh gritted his teeth as he felt the electricity surge through him, the shock dizzying him. He tried to bring his sword up to block as Slate attacked him, but the large blade was sent flying from his grasp! He dropped to one knee as Slate stood over him, propping his ivory white sword over his shoulder.

"Well Hugh, I thought you had more in ya. But, I guess I was wrong. Don't worry, I don't plan on killin' ya. Boss said we needed to leave at least a survivor or two. Same can't be said for your friends, though." Slate kicked Hugh hard in the chest, knocking him onto his back and denting his chest plate. Hugh coughed up blood from the forceful impact.

"Still, you kinda let me down. Next time, try not to get so easily distracted, little bro," Slate said, beginning to turn to face Zephyr, who was still focused on the Azure Rathalos that was flying around the area.

Hugh wasn't done yet, though; he quickly drew his carving knife and leapt to his feet! Slate barely jumped back in time as the knife whipped past his face, a small stream of blood flicking off the blade. Slate grasped his face in pain, before moving his hand away in shock. A large cut ran diagonally across his face, starting from below his right eye and on the left side of his forehead; the wound mirrored Hugh's scar. Blood flowed down over Slate's left eye from the cut. "Maybe you should listen to your own advice," Hugh said, wiping the blood from his mouth.

Slate looked at him angrily for a second before suddenly letting out a short laugh. "Looks like you aren't completely weak after all! Good; now I have something to look forward to next time we fight." The Azure Rathalos landed behind him then; Slate began to climb onto its back. Hugh continued to stare fiercely at Slate.

"You're leaving?" "Ya know, I'd love to stay and fight, but even I have a hard time only being able to use one eye. Count yourself lucky, Hugh; maybe you can even save that girlfriend of yours! Nice catch, by the way."

Hugh's eyes widened at the mention of her. "Karah!" he worriedly exclaimed, rushing over to the cliff. Slate laughed as the wyvern took off into the sky and flew away, disappearing over the treetops.

* * *

_Come on… I need help!_ Karah thought, her hold on the branch beginning to loosen. She looked down at the water below; at this height, the drop would probably be fatal; and that's not considering the rocky wall she'd collide with on the way down.. Her heart began to beat quickly as she felt her hand slipping, bit by bit. She fearfully looked up at the top of the cliff, hoping there might be some sign of rescue…

There was nothing.

Karah could hold on no longer, and her grip finally gave way! She screamed as she felt herself begin to fall! "Hugh!" she shouted, wishing he could help save her from her doom.

"KARAH!"

Hugh suddenly leapt from the top of the cliff, plummeting towards her! He fell faster than she did, quickly catching up to her and grabbing her around the waist. He had a thick rope tied around his waist; his descent stopped abruptly, and the pair began to swing towards the cliffside! Hugh positioned himself between Karah and the wall, blocking her from the impact!

Hugh grunted in pain as he collided with the wall, but maintained a fierce grip on Karah. She breathed heavily, gasping for air in relief, joy, shock, and surprise. "I got ya… You okay, Karah?" he asked, wincing at his injuries. Karah looked up at him for a moment in pure happiness. "Yeah, I'm fine. At least, I am now." Hugh stared straight into her green eyes for a moment, concern being replaced with relief.

"Damn, that was a close one. I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner," he said. "I don't care; you're here now, and that's what matters," Karah responded. Hugh laughed a bit before answering. "Yeah, I guess. But as much as I'd love to have a moment right now, I'm pretty sure dangling from the edge of a cliff is not the place." He tugged on the rope a few times, and the pair began to be slowly hoisted back up.

Zephyr let out a grunt as he pulled the thick rope. "Dammit, Hugh! Why... do you... have to be... so goddamn heavy?!" He yanked the rope one last time as Hugh's arm appeared over the side of the cliff, and he ran over to help his friend. Zephyr helped Hugh and Karah back onto solid ground before sitting down in exhaustion. Hugh and Karah did likewise, sitting down next to each other far from the cliff.

"Thought we lost you there for a sec, Karah," he said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Almost did," she replied, still gasping for air. "The Rathalos took off, thankfully. I didn't know if I'd be able to finish it off on my own." Hugh let out a sigh of relief. "Well, at least we won this time."

Suddenly, Karah leaned over and kissed him passionately! Hugh was taken off guard, but still returned the feelings warmly. After a few seconds, the two separated, Karah smiling at him. "How's that for a 'moment'?" "…Better than the side of the cliff, that's for sure!" Hugh responded. The two quickly turned as Zephyr cleared his throat, his smirk returning to his face.

"Alright, you lovebirds, let's get back to the base camp. All the emergency flares are there, and we need to treat Karah's arm. Hugh, you've probably got a few broken ribs too. It isn't too far from here, at least. And I don't think our... friend is going to be coming back for a while."

Hugh stood up and helped Karah to her feet, supporting her as the group returned to the camp. Even though he had several more injuries than she did, he continued to ignore the pain as he helped her along the way. Any of the local wildlife was discouraged from attacking the pair by Zephyr; he was almost completely unharmed, and more than willing to keep the monsters at bay.

Before too long, Hugh and Karah's injuries were dressed, and Karah's arm put in a makeshift splint. Zephyr launched a red flare off into the sky, announcing to whatever nearby ships that they were waiting to be picked up.

"So, a brother, huh?" Zephyr said, tossing the flare. Hugh's expression darkened a bit at the remark.

"Next time I see him, he's dead."

* * *

_Well, looks like we've got some sibling rivalry going on! Slate's practically the same as Hugh; same weapons and armor, just from stronger monsters! At least, they should be stronger, but I'm just basing it on color, not actual equipment strength. Hugh and Slate are basically equal in strength; only real difference is, well, an Azure Rathalos. Which is kind of a lot, if you think about it... But talk about a rescue; seems like jumping off of things is going to become a theme at this rate. Ah, and before I forget, as I mentioned before finally procured MH3U! PM me if you want to play sometime; I'm always up for a good hunt, and maybe it'll give me more ideas for future chapters! Anyways, thanks yet again for reading, review, follow, favorite, etc, etc... _

_And I thought my greetings were getting old..._


	38. Chapter 38- Burned and Broken

_Hello once again! Sorry about the delay; I've been getting a bit preoccupied with MH3U lately. In my defense, these past few weeks have been some of the luckiest ever! I seem to have obtained Hugh's luck when it comes to finding rare gems and such, at least when it comes to the game. I've been enjoying it immensely; remember to hit me up if you want to play sometime. But please, keep your hands to yourself, and don't actually hit me; I would not appreciate that. But I WOULD appreciate your continued following of my story; so, I'll leave you to it then!_

* * *

Chapter 38- Burned and Broken

"How close are we?" York asked the airship pilot. "About five minutes out. We'll be there soon, don't you worry." "It's not the time I'm worried about…"

After the incident in the city, York and Rose quietly slipped away from the scene of the battle. They had stopped in the tavern to wish Dustin and his group well, but they heard some troubling news there. According to the Guild liaison, an Azure Rathalos had attacked a few hunters in the Flooded Forest. The group had departed from Moga, which meant that chances were Hugh and the others went to investigate.

"York, down there!" Rose said, pointing at the base camp. A bright red light shot up into the sky; a flare used to signify a hunt's completion. "Can you land by the camp?" York asked quickly. The pilot looked at him as if he were mad, but sighed after a moment. "…Fine, I'll see what I can do. I suppose I've already squeezed enough gold outta ya, anyways."

"…Thanks."

* * *

Hugh was relieved to see the large airship touch down not far from the camp. "Come on, looks like our ride's here," he said, getting to his feet. His chest still ached; Slate had kicked him with more force than Hugh had thought, enough to dent his chestplate. He helped Karah up as well; her arm wasn't actually broken, but the bones had definitely been fractured, requiring a splint and bandages.

"Hey! Hugh, Zeph, Karah!" Rose shouted, running over to them with York. "What happened? Are you all okay?" "Those damn maniacs sent an Azure Rathalos out here," Hugh answered. "Nearly killed Finch, scared his buddy half to death. Felix went with them, but he… he didn't come back."

"What?!" York shouted in surprise. "Did anyone look for him?!" "No, but Finch's friend said he saw him get knocked off a cliff," Karah answered. "Son of a… Rose, stay here and help them back to the ship. Zeph, you don't look too bad, mind helping me look for him?" "Right behind you," the long sword user replied.

"York, be careful! We don't know if that Rathalos is still around!" Rose said as York and Zephyr began to leave. "Don't worry, I don't think he'll be a problem," Hugh reassured her. "We drove it off, and its rider too. York, when you get back, I've got something I gotta tell you." "Oh, and if you see my sword, could you bring it back?" Karah added. "I think it fell into the river.

"Alright, we'll be back soon," York replied, pulling his hood up. He and Zephyr ran off towards the scene of the battle, leaving the others by the ship.

"Are you two okay?" Rose asked as they boarded the airship. "I've been worse," Hugh answered, wincing as another wave of pain washed over him. "I almost went over the cliff," Karah said. "But… Hugh saved me." "You did go over the cliff; I jumped off to save you," Hugh corrected with a pained grin. Rose looked amazed. "Seriously? If you're talking about the cliff I'm thinking, that's at least a hundred foot drop!" "It… looked a lot higher…" Karah said, shuddering at the memory.

"Well, let me take a look at you two; I know a bit about medicine, at least," Rose said. "Really? I didn't know that," Karah remarked as Rose began to un-wrap her arm. "Yeah, Rose has always kinda been our medic," Hugh explained. "She's fixed us all up plenty of times; and she's a lot faster than going to the doctor."

"Well Karah, it doesn't look too bad. Just keep it wrapped up for a while, and you should be fine. We'll see what Doc has to say about it when we get back. Now, let's see about you, Hugh." The great sword user un-wrapped the bandages around his chest, revealing the injury. Rose winced at the sight.

"Okay, now that has to hurt." A large purple bruise covered a good portion of his torso, and several of his ribs looked like they were broken. The area was already swelling, as well. His entire upper body was also streaked with electrical burns caused by the voltage his sword had summoned.

"How'd this happen?" Rose said, feeling the wound. Hugh winced a bit as she poked a bit harder. "A bit of courtesy from the guy riding the Rathalos. Turns out, he was my brother." Rose looked up as she heard the revelation. "You never told me you had a brother," she said, surprised. Hugh sighed as she began to get a max potion for him.

"It's a long story…"

* * *

"This it?" York asked as they entered the charred battle field. "Yeah, the cliff's on the east end," Zephyr responded. The two quickly ran over to the edge, gazing down at the water below. "There was a cave the Rathalos flew out of down in the wall," Zephyr said. "If Felix got knocked off, he wouldn't have landed in there…"York replied. "Is there a way down into the river?" "Besides jumping? I think there's an area where down the southern path where we could start swimming…" "I think I'll take your first suggestion. See if he washed up along the riverbed, and wait for me there." "Alright... Wait, what first suggest-"

York quickly jumped off the top of the cliff, plummeting towards the water below! Before he landed, he released the small detachable chute from his armor, slowing down before breaking the surface of the water. Zephyr looked down in stunned silence.

"...Did he just…? Dammit York, you are crazy…"

* * *

The water was warm when York entered the river; he came up for air quickly. _Must be from all the debris…_ he thought, looking at the charred wood that was floating around. Taking a deep breath, York dove beneath the surface of the water. He couldn't see very far, but there was enough light coming from above to keep the water a bit clear. He swam down to the sandy floor of the river, looking for any sort of sign as to where the old hunter had gone. There was nothing in the river aside from the burned wood from the fight and the normal plants that grew underwater.

_Maybe he made it out after all…_ York thought after searching for a bit longer. He spotted Karah's short sword stuck in the sand over by a large charred piece of wood. York swam over and pulled the blade free, sheathing it on the back of his belt. He quickly scanned the surrounding riverbed once more before returning to the surface of the water, gasping for air.

_If he isn't in the river, then he must've climbed out around here..._ York scanned the forest's edge, looking for any sign that Felix had been there. Sure enough, he saw a small, almost impossible to sight entrance to the woods that wasn't made by any sort of natural means. York pulled himself out of the river and entered the path, scanning for any clues. Heavy boot prints were imprinted in the wet ground, along with several broken twigs and tree branches. Several large splotches of blood soaked the ground every few feet as well; York hurried up a little, hoping to find the old hunter. Eventually, the path led to a small cliff overlooking another part of the river at a bend.

"Hah... I had a feeling you'd be the one to find me, kid..." York quickly turned to the sight of Felix, heavily wounded, sitting against the cliffside. His Akantor armor had a massive gash carved through the torso, and the wound still bled profusely. He had numerous burns on the left side of his face and over his left eye. His breathing was ragged and strained; he must've had even more injuries underneath his armor that came from the fall.

"Felix! Shit, you look terrible! Hang on, let me see if I can-" Felix cut him off with a weak wave of his hand. "Kid... there isn't a thing in the world that can save me now..."

York looked worriedly at his old mentor; the old man's face was pale, and he had lost a large amount of blood already. "Just... listen to this old man's last words, will ya? I've got a lot I need to tell you..." York didn't like to admit it, but Felix was right; there was nothing he could do to save the man. His injuries were far too severe.

"...Alright. I'm listening."

"York... There's always more to something than you first realize... Remember when I told you that, all those years ago? This... is no different. This group that's been attacking hunters, taming monsters... they are far worse than you know... Crez wasn't the last of them. The Brilliant Darkness has returned."

"The Brilliant Darkness?" "Aye, one of the many names of the Alatreon, the most evil creature ever to have lived. This group see's it as a god... but you knew that, didn't you?" York blinked in surprise at the statement. _How does he...?_ "

Heh... you should see the look on your face... I knew all about it, York. After all, your father and I were great friends." "You... you knew my father?" "Aye... still do, in fact. He's a great man... and he can't wait to see you again."

"He's... he's alive?" York asked, dumbstruck. He didn't know how to react; with anger, joy, surprise, or any other emotion he felt. "Yes, he is. But he knows about as much about you as you do about him."

"Why? Because he left me in Crez? To become a bloodthirsty murderer?" York stated with a bit of venom. _How can a 'great man' leave someone in a place like that?_ "York... he didn't leave you. You were taken from him as an infant."

"...What?" "You were never meant to be in Crez... They attacked our safe house, and stole you in the confusion. Your parents were devastated... The Brilliant Darkness planned to use you against us... Over the years, our numbers began to dwindle, until we only had one sanctuary in the desert left. You... never had a part in that, but even then your father feared what may have become of you... But they couldn't control your mind, could they? You were always free of them, even when they thought they had you under their control..."

"But... you said they're worse than what I think. How can you make a cult of psychopaths more evil?" "They don't call themselves the Brilliant Darkness for nothing... they mean to bring the Alatreon back from the dead."

"Bring it... back to life? How would they even do that? And even if they could, why would they? Isn't there more than one?" "Hardly... that beast is a being of pure malice... only one has ever lived. As for how they plan to bring it back... they plan to sacrifice those whose hearts are filled with despair using the Dark Claw... If they manage to sacrifice enough people... it will return."

"The Dark Claw?" "A weapon crafted from the Alatreon... and the most foul weapon ever wrought upon this earth. It is the embodiment of the dragon; the more havoc it wreaks, the stronger the beast becomes... If it sacrifices those who know despair... it comes closer to being resurrected."

"But a monster's still a monster. It's been killed before, and it can be done again... right?" "If only it were that easy... It was only defeated on a fluke, and because of the tenaciousness of a group of legendary hunters. Of course... I had a role in that, too."

"What do you mean?" Felix paused as he began to have a coughing fit, speckling the ground with blood. "Agh... I... told you how I got these scars, didn't I? I had a run in with the Alatreon... many, many years ago. It couldn't be harmed by ordinary weapons... only the purest of blades could strike at the beast. Of course... that's why I was lucky... to have this."

The old hunter unbuckled a short dagger from his belt and handed it out to York. It was a stunning masterpiece; no smith York knew of could ever forge a weapon as fine as this, and he hadn't even seen the blade yet. It was about as long as York's forearm, silver handled with a gold trim. It had a winged crossguard with a large sapphire set into it. The blade was sheathed in an ornate scabbard, which was similar to the handle in design. After a moment's hesitation, York took the dagger from Felix, closely inspecting it. He drew the dagger, marveling at the light shimmer its pale silver blade emitted.

"That is the last weapon of its kind... a pure blade. It is ancient, yet stronger than any other weapon in existence... It wounded the Alatreon with it, and the injury weakened it just enough to allow the others to fell the monstrosity. I want you to have it. I... don't have much use for it now, anyways..." "...Thank you, Felix." "Thank me if you actually need to use it..." The old hunter coughed violently gain, his breaths coming in strained gasps. "I... don't have much longer..."

"It's alright, Felix. They won't have their way. I won't let them." "Heh... Perhaps not... I can... only hope that... you can stop them... I have one more thing to tell you, York. This is... my last piece of advice... whatever happens, don't lose Rose... but don't let her lose you, either... A lost love leads to despair of the worst kind..."

"It won't happen. Nothing will happen to us." "I can only hope that you are right... York... this is your fight now... see it finished, alright...? I've played my part and fulfilled my oath... now, you must... do... the same..."

* * *

"York! Any sign of him?" Zephyr said, seeing York walk into the clearing by the river. "…He didn't make it…" York responded sorrowfully. Zephyr's expression changed from one of hope to one of sadness. "So he's… really gone then?" York nodded slowly, not saying a word. "...Come on, let's head back. Shouldn't keep the others waiting, right?" Zephyr said after a moment.

"Alright… lets go." York trailed slightly behind Zephyr on the way back, deep in thought.

York felt the black scale in his pouch, remembering what Felix had told him about it. _That scale does not have any sort of luck tied to it… Looks like you were right, old man._ He pulled the scale out, examining the thin black object in his palm. After a moment, he clenched his hand over it. He tightened his grip; out of anger, sorrow, loss, but most of all, determination. A faint white aura seemed to form around him for a moment, dissipating when he opened his hand again.

The scale had been crushed into a fine black powder, which would have surprised York if the circumstances were different. A short breeze blew the remains of the scale into the wind and out of sight. York looked after it for a moment before moving on.

He didn't look back.

* * *

Zeal and Slate stood before the black armored man's throne, side by side. His face was hidden by the dark helm he wore; there were two large horns prominently displayed on the armor piece, and the eyes seemed to glow white beneath them. Above him hung a scythe-like weapon, dark as night; it emitted an aura of pure dread. "Both of you have failed to do as I ask. I cannot believe this!" he shouted angrily. Slate's eyes quivered a bit, but he kept a straight face. Zeal's expression was still emotionless; he didn't betray anything.

"Sorry, boss. I couldn't risk fighting with my injury," Slate said. The cut had been stitched close, but still was clearly visible by the red line running across his face. "You shouldn't have allowed that to happen in the first place, you fool! For all your power, you still show arrogance at the worst possible times!" "Hey, at least we got rid of the old man! This'll get 'em all pissed off, that's for sure." "That is the only part of your mission that is saving you from ending up like Adel. With him gone, it will be much easier to plan our next course of action. But let me be clear; do not fail me again, Slate." "No problem, boss." The silver haired man turned and left the room, leaving Zeal with the man in dark armor.

After a moment, the man on the throne spoke again. "You disappoint me, Zeal. I ordered you not to confront York. Why did you disobey me?" Zeal stared straight at the man, responding immediately. "I must be the one to defeat him. I deserve to see York die." The black armored man stood, walking down the steps towards Zeal. He stopped directly in front of the red eyed man; his armor darkened the area just with his presence.

"Your plight is one I share, Zeal. We cannot allow him to interfere with my... the resurrection. But we must eliminate him efficiently. I will not send you out to fight him; we must plan our next attempt. Do you understand?" "…Yes, of course. But I will not apologize." Zeal stood firmly, his demeanor not shaken an inch by the man's intimidating qualities. "…If you were not my best servant, I would have cut you down right now," the man stated angrily.

Zeal was silent for a few moments. "Is there anything you would have me do?" "Allow your wounds to heal, and see to your mount as well. I will need you to keep an eye on them; my scale has been broken, it seems. I'll inform you when it is time to strike. Now, leave me!" Zeal turned and silently left the chamber, the large wooden doors slamming shut behind him. Slate stood in the hall, leaning against a pillar. "So, the boss chew you out too?"

"No." Zeal didn't stop as he walked past the silver haired man. Slate followed after him, though. "Come on, Zeal, I ain't gonna bite! What's the deal?" "I'm going to check on my partner. You should do the same." Zeal entered a dark corridor, leaving Slate behind. "Geez, looks like someone's still in a bad mood…" Slate mumbled.

"So, how does it feel to be in the hot water for once, Slate?" He turned to face Adel, who had silently approached him. She had a smug look; Slate merely gave her an irritated face. "FYI, I didn't get my ass handed to me like you did. And I didn't get punished, either."

Adel's expression changed to one of anger. "What?! You failed! That assignment was even more important than mine!" "It might not've gone the way we wanted it to, but I still brought old man Felix down. There's some success in that, at least; old bastard's been a pain in the ass for too long now." "...You're lucky, Slate. But don't be surprised when I get the last laugh!" she shouted. "Yeah, we'll see about that, you crazy bitch…" Adel kicked him right between the legs, causing him to fall to his knees in pain!

"Godammit! I'll get you for that!" he shouted as she stormed off. He struggled back to his feet before returning to his quarters. The room was immense; large enough to fit a large wyvern, which it did. The Azure Rathalos eyed him as he entered the room, huffing as he sat on a luxuriant cot in the corner. "Yeah, yeah… Sorry, Blaze," Slate said, still wincing in pain at Adel's low blow. "You doin' okay?" The beast growled in response; most of the wounds it had taken we're shallow, but the ice element from Zephyr's long sword was more damaging to the Rathalos's hide.

_I was, until you were struck between the legs again._ The draconic voice echoed in Slate's mind. _Do I have to remind you that we have a mental link? I feel your injuries as well._ "Hey, I said I was sorry, right? Can't help that Adel's that crazy." _Slate, as long as I'm bound to you, you should do well to remember that this link is the only thing keeping me from tearing you apart._ _Be more careful, or you may start to feel more of the pain I feel as well._ "...Yeesh, that's a bit harsh, ain't it?"

_I only speak the truth. _

* * *

Hugh angrily punched the wall of the cabin they were in, breaking the skin on his knuckles and drawing blood. "Dammit! Why?!" he shouted. York, Rose, Karah, and Zephyr were all in the room as well. York had informed them about Felix's passing after Hugh had explained the situation with the Rathalos to him, which only served to further depress the group. York withheld most of the details of what Felix told him, if only to try and prevent the situation from becoming anymore confusing, but also because it mostly only meant something to him.

"I can't believe he's gone…" Rose stated sadly. She sat next to York on a small couch set aside for hunters returning from quests. "I'm so sorry, Hugh…" Karah said, standing next to him while trying to comfort him. Hugh looked at her for a moment, grateful for her company. They departed the room soon after. "At least he died doing what he loved," Zephyr stated somberly before also leaving.

York silently stared at the floor as Rose wrapped an arm around him in an attempt to comfort him. "Are you alright, York?" she asked. "…I just wish there was something we could've done. It's just that there was no way for us to know… I'll miss the old man. But... he told me everything I needed to hear, Rose." She looked questioningly at him, but he didn't elaborate further, so she decided to drop it.

"...I'll miss him too, York. But just remember what he always said; don't grieve a loss for too long, but never forget one." "I guess you're right. Thanks, Rose," he said, leaning over and kissing her. Rose smiled at him as they pulled away.

"Let's just head home and relax, alright York? I think we've earned a break."

* * *

_Yeah, there goes Felix. Too bad, huh? Maybe I'll have another side story detailing just how he helped York and the others start out. Lot's of revelations this chapter though; I figured it was time to answer questions and raise even more. But, on a bit of a lighter note, seems like Slate and Hugh are pretty similar when it comes to luck with women, huh? Must run in the family! And speaking of Slate, seems the riders aren't all as close with their mounts as we thought. I wonder what this 'mental link' is all about? Of course, that info is only known by three people; me, myself, and I. Don't worry, we'll let you all in on it in the future. Anyways, thanks again for reading, remember to review, follow, and favorite as always!_


	39. Chapter 39-Skipper

_Hello again! So, I've decided that after last chapter's incredibly long release time, I'd start trying to find a more reasonable schedule to release these chapters. Of course, I may find this rather difficult to accomplish, but for the faithful readers out there I think I can manage at least one chapter a week. Let's see if I can stick to it! And now, here's chapter 39! Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 39- Skipper

"What. The. Fuck."

York stood in the doorway of his house, gaping at the huge mess within. Rose stood behind him, covering her mouth in shock. Hugh and Karah were standing near them as well, both looking extremely guilty. They entered the disastrous living room, York staring in dismay at the damage. "Dammit, I asked you to watch the place, not destroy it!"

"We're really sorry about this, you guys…" Karah said apologetically. York was focused mainly on Hugh, though. "Remember what I said before we left? I wasn't joking. You're paying for this. All of it." Hugh groaned at the mention. "…I shoulda seen this coming…" "Hey, don't give us that crap!" Rose said, stepping towards him quickly. "You have more than enough to make up for this! It's your fault, anyways. We told you not to wreck the place; we shouldn't have even had to!"

"Look, I'll get you the money, but York? Don't leave ammo in that thing. It ain't safe," Hugh said, pointing to the gun lying on the floor. "Then next time, don't flip the safety off, ya moron!" York retorted, picking it up and checking the device for damage. "Just please tell us that the only thing you guys messed with was the living room…" Rose said, beginning to walk towards the kitchen. A look of fear crossed Karah's face. "…Shit…"

Rose's eyes widened when she looked into the kitchen. "What the hell?!" Scraps of food were lying about on one of the tables, and several tankards were sitting on the floor. A few stains from the spilled beverages remained on the floor. Several plates were stacked messily by the sink, which was also filled with used dishes. Every cabinet was opened as well, some were filled, others were not. A small mouse scurried across the floor, carting some of the crumbs into a small hole in the wall that hadn't been there before.

"How in the name of god did you manage to do all of this in two friggin days?!" "We... may have invited a few people over..." "You threw a party IN OUR HOUSE?!"

Hugh and Karah looked at each other, embarrassed that they had done such a bad job trying to watch the place. "Next time, we're getting Zephyr to house sit," York angrily said. "You two are cleaning this up, you hear?!" Rose yelled.

"Yeah, yeah… Alright, but at least give us a day or two to heal. Karah's arm is still messed up, and-" "Don't gimme that! Doc said you'd both be fine! And cleaning up this mess is not going to kill you!" Rose again shouted.

"Well, I might, but that's after they're done," York said as he opened the small hidden cabinet in the kitchen, revealing the barrel of ale he kept stored there. Or at least, the hollow keg.

"You drank all of it!? Hugh, you are definitely going to pay for this…"

* * *

_A few weeks later…_

"Dustin, heads up!" Sally yelled.

He quickly ducked as several rounds whizzed past him and struck the massive creature's leg. He rolled back as they detonated, releasing a searing burst of fire and gunpowder. "Thanks for the heads up, Sal," he said, recovering. "Don't mention it, Dust," she replied, loading another few rounds into her bowgun.

They were hunting a Duramboros; a newer monster, from the reports. None of them had heard of it before, but figured it shouldn't be too difficult to fight; they were dead wrong. The thing was huge; easily standing over thirty feet tall, and with a massive clubbed tail that could probably smash an Aptonoth like a pumpkin. It had two large humps on its mossy back, and a single large horn on the right side of its head; it originally had two, but Lyle managed to smash one of them off. He had been sent flying back when the creature quickly retaliated, sending him into a shallow stream nearby. Conner, meanwhile had taken a perch up in one of the trees and drew his axe, waiting for an opportunity to drop on top of the Duramboros. The others were trying to lead it closer to him.

The monster turned and slammed its tail into the ground where Dustin and Sally were standing; the two quickly evaded, with Sally firing multiple rounds as she backed up. They exploded into flames as they struck the monster, setting some of the moss on its hide ablaze; fire seemed to be very effective, causing it extreme pain. As the beast staggered, Dustin rushed its leg again, slicing multiple wounds with his dual swords. The Duramboros surprised him, though, when it suddenly swung its massive tail towards him! He barely dodged underneath its mace-like appendage, running away as it began to spin; the Duramboros was using the weight of its tail as a counterbalance, swiftly gaining speed as it continued spinning.

The beast slowed for a moment before launching itself tail-first into the sky! Dustin quickly moved Sally out of the way as its shadow moved above them, avoiding the massive bulk of the Duramboros as it slammed into the ground, creating a huge tremor! The hunters struggled as the earth beneath them quaked, jarring their legs. Dustin and Sal dropped to the ground, their legs still shaken from the impact. As he recovered, Dustin looked towards the Duramboros as it began to get to its feet, and the hammer user furiously closing in on its head!

"Take this, ya mossy son of a bitch!" Lyle yelled, smashing his hammer across the Duramboros's face! He struck with enough force to break off its other horn, which impressed Dustin; try as he might, he couldn't deny that Lyle was strong. The force of the blow caused the beast to stagger backwards towards the tree Conner was perched in. He quickly jumped down, his Switch Axe changing to sword mode as he fell, and impaled the beast through one of the humps on its back!

Dragon element began to pour out of Conner's weapon, then; the lower section had flipped open, allowing a higher volume of the reddish lightning to engulf the beast. A moment later, a massive burst erupted from the monster's back, sending Conner flying through the air and knocking the Duramboros onto its side! The hump on its back broke open with a resounding snap from the attack, and the wound bled profusely. But even that didn't stop the brute-wyvern; it was definitely struggling, but still had plenty of fight in it. The beast righted itself, warily eyeing the two hunters as it panted heavily from exhaustion.

"Sal, get a few tranq shots ready! I'll hit it with a shock trap!" Dustin yelled, pulling the small disc like device from his pouch. "Go for it!" she shouted back, ejecting the spent casings and loading the new ammo in. The Duramboros was turning again; Dustin couldn't tell if it was going to try to attack them again or if it was going to take off running, but he wasn't going to wait to find out. He quickly turned the dial on the trap, and hearing it begin to charge, threw it at the monster!

As the trap struck the beast's side, it released a large shock of electricity, stopping the Duramboros from moving! Sally quickly ran in front of the beast before launching several of the tranquilizing rounds into its face, eventually causing the large wyvern to fall asleep. It collapsed as the trap detonated, snoring loudly. Dustin and Sally breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the fight was over.

"Damn it, that thing just wouldn't let up!" Dustin said, pulling out a whetstone and sharpening his Agnaktor dual swords. "Yeah, I hear you... Hey, where's Conner?" Sal asked, looking around the area. "Come to think of it, what happened to Lyle? They were both here a minute ago…" Dustin replied, searching for the two. He saw Lyle's hammer lying on the ground by the edge of the forest.

A pair of groans from a nearby thicket caught their attention; the pair went over to investigate. "Get offa me already!" "I am sorry, how was I to know you would be standing there?" Dustin looked inside the thicket and saw Conner and Lyle lying in a heap within, tangled in a few vines. "The crazy bastard crashed into me and sent us both into this damn bush! Mind givin' me a hand?" Dustin pulled them out of the bushes, and the two brushed several leaves off of themselves.

"That was a very difficult fight," Conner said, gazing at the sleeping Duramboros. "You'd think they woulda had a bit more info on the thing, considering it's bigger than a friggin' tank," Lyle added, picking up his hammer. "Um… what's a 'tank'?" Sally asked, confused.

"I dunno, but it sounded like it might make sense." The others reluctantly nodded in approval at his reasoning.

* * *

Soon after completing the quest, a large caravan arrived and about two dozen men loaded the beast onto an immense wagon pulled by two Aptonoth. The hunters returned to the base camp, where a ship was waiting to take them back to Loc Lac. A few hours after leaving, Dustin again found himself getting sick; although the weather was fair and the boat wasn't rocking, he still found himself feeling nauseous. _Why did I leave that band back in my equipment box? _He thought, hurling over the side of the boat.

Sally came up to the top deck and stood by him, which made him both glad and a bit worried. _Last thing I need is to get sick while we're talking…_ "Hey, Dust. You feeling okay?" "Oof… no, not at all… I friggin' hate sailing!" Sally smiled sympathetically as he again leaned over the rail, vomiting again.

"I still think it's a bit funny how you can sail a sandship, but get sick as soon as you get on a regular boat." "Sal, a sandship and a sailboat are two... very different things!" he replied, again hurling over the side of the ship. "Sure, they work similarly, but at least sandships don't rock and shift around..." "Dust, it's a perfect day today! The boat isn't rocking at all!"

After getting over his last bout of sickness, Dustin stared out into the ocean. It really was a calm day; there wasn't any kind of disturbance on the flat surface of the water aside from the boat's wake. "...Even then, give me a sandship any day. At least those don't make me lose breakfast..." Sally laughed as he slouched over the railing, his arms hanging over the edge of the boat.

Something in the water must've caught Sally's eye, because she suddenly looked down towards the surf intently. "Dustin, did you see that?" "What? I don't see anything…" "It was like a bluish light." "...You sure it wasn't just a reflection or something? Why would there be a light in the ocean?" "It didn't look like a reflection... Hey! There it is again!" "I don't see anything..." Dustin scanned the calm surface of the ocean, his gaze following where Sally pointed. A strange luminescent light faintly glowed about twenty feet away from the boat, and was moving away fast. "Wait a second, yeah! Now I see it! What is that?" "I'm not sure... do any monsters glow?" she asked a bit worriedly. They had never trained for a battle on the high seas before.

"Well... a few do, yeah, but only a couple live in the ocean. What did York tell me about this... Gobuls have lanterns they use for attracting prey, but those are white. Plus, they never get that size, and they wouldn't live this far out in the sea. A Lagiacrus might glow like that, but only if it's been in a fight or charging a lot of electricity." "I don't think its a Lagiacrus... wouldn't the water be a bit brighter?" "True... which leaves one other possibility. I doubt it, though. There's no way it could be an Elde-"

Dustin was cut short when an enormous beast burst out of the ocean a few hundred feet from the boat! It was immense; it could easily dwarf the boat they were on. The sea creature had a pale blue body and a large, furry mane. It had two giant horns, the left considerably bigger than the right; the larger horn covered one of the monster's eyes. It let out a long, high pitched humming sound that echoed far across the sea. All of the sailors on deck had stopped what they were doing when it broke the surface of the water.

"Ceadeus off the port side!"

Immediately, everyone began rushing to get a glimpse of the creature as it began to again dive below the surface of the water. It made a huge splash as its horns entered the surf, spraying water into the sky. After a moment, it was fully submerged again, the last bit of its tail disappearing into the water. Sally and Dustin were utterly dumbstruck by the Elder Dragon.

"What… what was that?" Sally asked, still staring out into the ocean in amazement. "Never hearda it before? I ain't surprised," one of the nearby sailors said. "That was an Elder Dragon known as the Ceadeus. Most know them as "The Shining Depths" cause of the way they glow, and cause they normally live much further beneath the waves. They're very rare; I've only seen one before, and that was a good six or seven years ago. Consider yerselves lucky; you might not see one again."

"That… thing was an elder dragon?" Dustin asked, stunned. "And someone hunted one before, right? How is that even possible?" "Lot's 'nd lot's of determination, kid." Sal looked somewhat worried; "But, what if it attacks us? How would we drive it off?" "Don't worry, miss. Ceadeus rarely attack ships on th' open sea, but if it did we always have a few armaments on board. We won't be needin' the Champion o' Moga to help fight this beastie if'n it comes to that."

Conner and Lyle came running up to the top deck just as the sailor finished talking. "What has happened? I heard someone shouting up here," Conner said. "There was an Elder Dragon that breached the surface about a hundred yards out," Dustin replied, pointing over in the direction the Ceadeus had been.

"Okay, sure, whatever," Lyle snarked, sleepily rubbing his eyes. "If you guys are just gonna bullshit me after waking me up, at least make it believable." "It's true! Everyone on the ship saw it!" Sally said. Lyle still didn't seem convinced, though; "I'm going back to sleep. Wake me if something actually happens, alright?"

Suddenly, the boat rocked violently to the left! The hunters all stumbled, trying to keep their balance, and several sailors were thrown about the deck in surprise! "What the hell was that!?" Dustin quickly looked over the side of the boat, tightly gripping the railing. The other hunters joined him as well. The Ceadeus had begun swimming alongside the ship, and had collided with the hull! Its large pale body was clearly visible below the surface of the water; it was at least twice as long as the ship.

"I believe this is actually happening, Lyle," Conner said, gazing at the immense dragon. "…Shut up, Conner."

The sailors were frantically moving about the deck, trying to prepare to fight the sea dragon. The hunters likewise ran below deck to their cabins, grabbing their weapons and donning their armor. It was harder than Dustin had thought; with the boat violently rocking whenever the Elder Dragon rammed into it, he found himself being thrown about the small room. He still worked quickly, and the hunters were soon prepared for the battle.

The four quickly went topside again, where the sailors had mounted several ballista to try and drive the Elder Dragon off. Several of them were running between decks, grabbing ammo to take back to those manning the weapons. "Sal, see if you can get to a high spot where you can shoot at it," Dustin said. "Tell us what you see from up there, too. We'll need to know if we're really hurting it or not." "Okay, I'll see what I can do!" She began to climb up a ladder leading to the Crow's Nest as the others moved to help those at the ballistae.

"We got any other weapons on this thing?!" Lyle shouted to one of the sailors. "We have a front mounted dragonator, but besides that this is all we've got!" he shouted back, running to grab more ammo. "How could we get it in front of the ship?" Conner quickly asked. Dustin looked towards the wheel, where a man was trying to keep control of the ship as the boat violently rocked to the side. "I'll see what I can do." Dustin ran towards the wheel while Conner and Lyle stood watching in confusion. "What does he think he can do?" Conner said.

"Hey, how much experience do you have sailing?" Dustin asked the man. The man looked uncertain, fearful, even; not that Dustin could blame him."I've been able to sail a boat for a couple years now, why?" the man answered nervously.

"Let me take the wheel. I've been able to sail sandships since I was seven." The man looked at the hunter in disbelief, but seeing his determined expression, he reluctantly surrendered the wheel to Dustin. "I hope you're tellin' the truth… Cause if ya ain't, we're prolly sunk." The young hunter quickly spun the wheel to the left, causing the boat to move away from the dragon, but then just as quickly flung it to the right! The boat lurched over, slamming into the Ceadeus' side! It roared below the waves as it moved off to the side and again forcefully rammed the boat in retaliation.

"Are you bloody crazy?!" the man yelled as the boat rocked from the impact. "Yes, I am! Now stop asking me stupid questions; this is hard enough as it is!" Dustin snapped back. "If we're gonna make it outta this, we can't just run! Go help the others on deck; leave this to me." The man, stunned at Dustin's sureness, backed off silently and went to help with the ballistae.

"Dustin!" A voice called out from above; he looked up to see Sally pointing off to the starboard side. "I can't see it... I think it went further below the surface!" "Which means... Shit!" He quickly spun the wheel to the side, causing the boat to lurch dangerously to the left. It was good that he did, though; a few moments later, the Ceadeus broke the surface of the ocean, right where the boat would have been if it had stayed its course! Several ballista shots flew into the Elder Dragon's exposed back, piercing its pale hide. Some managed to draw blood, even; a rich crimson that seemed to glow with an unknown chemical.

The creature lurched away from the boat in pain, roaring as it sank below the waves and again began to swim alongside the boat. After exchanging a few blows with the large dragon, the impacts on the boat stopped. Dustin knew they couldn't be in the clear yet; the Ceadeus was probably more irritated than it was hurt. "Sal! What do you see!?" "It's moving away from the boat… but it looks like it's going to try and ram us with its horns!"

_Son of a bitch… This think can't maneuver the way a sandship can…_ Dustin thought, trying to think of a plan of action. _It aimed at where we were going before... Maybe it can't see as well because of its horn! We need to slow down, but how...? _He began to quickly scan the deck, trying to see if there was anything, anything at all that could help. Lengths of chain on either side of the front caught his attention. "The anchors! LOWER THE ANCHORS!" he called, his voice filled with a surprisingly commanding tone. Several of the sailors looked up in disbelief at the young man's order, but more went to do as he said; if the dragon rammed the boat, they were sunk.

The large iron anchors landed in the ocean with a splash, rapidly sinking to the bottom of the sea. The ship immediately began to lurch forward as its speed dropped. "Lyle! Move to the dragonator switch! I need you to activate it!" Dustin called. Lyle looked irritated at doing what he asked, but quickly drew his hammer and stood by the large button. "Fine, just tell me when ta hit it!" "Conner, I need you to make sure everything up on the mast is tied down! Climb up there and help tie the main sail back up; we need to lose speed, fast!" The hunter nodded before climbing up the mast along with a few sailors.

"Sal! Tell me right before it moves in front of the ship!" "Okay, I will!" she shouted back, closely eyeing the Ceadeus as it swam towards the boat. It had been aiming at where the ship was going, though; Dustin had anticipated this, and by slowing down so quickly, the Elder Dragon was going to pass by the front of the ship! Conner and the others had just finished rigging the sail when Sally called down from the Crow's Nest; "Dustin, it's about to pass us!" "Lyle, now!"

"EAT THIS, YA GIANT SONUVABITCH!" The hammer user slammed down on the switch with his weapon, causing the massive spiked drill to begin rapidly spinning! With a loud metallic clang, the dragonator shot forward into the Ceadeus' large horn! The dragonator broke clean through the horn, breaking it off with a loud crack that seemed like it could be heard for miles! The beast roared in agony as its once proud horn was shattered into several large pieces by the weapon.

The sailors cheered as the beast began to swim away, fleeing from the ship. "Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!" "We did it!" "Hahahah! I can't believe it!" The crew swarmed Dustin, congratulating him and thanking him for saving their lives. "R-really, I didn't do that much…" he said, embarrassed. "Where on earth did ya learn t' sail like that?" one of the sailors asked. "Uhh… My dad taught me how to." The sailors laughed at the hunter's response; not mockingly, but because it was so simple. "Really? And just who is your father?"

"Captain… Captain Rich." A stunned silence fell over the crew at the mention. "Did… did you say… Rich? Captain Rich?" "…Yeah?"

Almost immediately, the entire boat's crew began to cheer loudly, lifting Dustin into the air, praising him a hero! "We shoulda known! Only two people would be crazy 'nough to do that, and Cap'n Rich is the only one who's still around!" one of the sailors said in amazement. Dustin nervously laughed as the crew set him down; before asking; "Wait, who's the other?" "Fella by the name of Jack. Last we hearda him, his boat went down off the coast a bit. Apparently he was lookin for some black pearls or somethin when a sea creature took his ship down t' the locker."

Suddenly, Sally tackled Dustin to the ground with a fierce hug! "I can't believe you did that, Dustin! You drove off an Elder Dragon! Is there anything you can't do?!" she exclaimed, tightly embracing him. "Breath…" he gasped, and Sal released him with a quick apology. Conner and Lyle approached him as well, both wearing large grins on their faces. "I am amazed, Dustin. I had no idea you were able to captain a ship!" Conner said. "I didn't really 'captain' it…" he replied sheepishly.

"Don't sell yerself short, kid. You told us what to do, we followed, and look what happened; we all survived," another sailor said. "If that ain't captaining, I don't know what is!" "Hate to admit it, but he's right, Dusty," Lyle added. "You even got me with that one." "Well, it's not like I did everything, right?" Dustin said, trying to shift the focus off of himself. "We all had a part; we all deserve some credit." A mad grin spread across Lyle's face; "There ain't a thing more satisfying than the sound of that horn snapping off!" he said with a laugh.

Everyone else agreed and began congratulating each other before going back to work, and Dustin got to his feet with Sally. One of the sailors approached him as he got up; "Kid, I gotta buy ya a drink sometime! Thanks a million!" he said before going back to work along with the others. The man who had been steering beforehand also thanked Dustin and took the wheel again. Lyle went with some of the men to haul the pieces of the horn onto the ship while Conner helped with the sails.

_Well, so much for keeping the attention off of myself...,_ Dustin thought, beginning to slink away from the crowded deck. Sally grabbed his arm, though; "Hey, Dust? Can I talk to you real quick?" "Uh, yeah, sure." They walked past the wheel towards the back of the ship, behind a tall stack of boxes filled with supplies. "What is it?"

She suddenly leaned forward and kissed him! For a few moments he stood there, her lips pressed against his, in complete shock. After what seemed like minutes, they parted.

"Wha… what was that for?" he stammered, still surprised. Sal giggled at his reaction. "I think a better question would have been 'what wasn't that for?'. You're amazing, Dustin!"

"I, uh, I… You too?" he stuttered. Sal smiled at him; "Thanks, Dustin. I'll see you around," she said before leaving him there gaping. "Uh… yeah… okay," he said after she left, still in shock.

_...Did that just happen?_

* * *

_Well, looks like Dustin's making some waves out there! Now this chapter was one where I got creative; I decided to model it after the Jhen Mohran fight from Monster Hunter 3, except using the Ceadeus and the ocean instead. So, I basically traded Elder Dragons. Seemed to work out, right? I also got to show off Dustin's captaining ability; he can pretty much take the leadership role in any situation. Maybe I ought to make a biography of all the characters and their traits… Well, I'll keep doing one thing at a time. Anyways, as always, thanks for reading! Hope you continue liking the story!_


	40. Chapter 40- Ready Up

_Chapter 40! Damn, I've been doing a lot of writing! I feel that not many fics get to be this long… although to be fair, since I've been writing so much I've only read a grand total of two others. Maybe I'll be able to finish this by chapter 50; although given my obsession with the number seven, chances are it'll be 49. It seems much closer than it is ...But, I'll blow up that bridge when the time comes. (Is that how that expression goes?) Whatever, as always, enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 40- Ready up

"Thanks again for fixing the floor," York said to the woodworker, handing the man a small bag of coins as he left. "Not a problem; don't f'rget t' call if ya need anythin' else."

It had been about a month since York and Rose returned to find their home in utter chaos. Holding true to what he had said, York made Hugh pay for all the damage, taking a good portion of the gems the great sword user kept stored in his item chest in the process. Hugh and Karah had finished cleaning up the rest of the house a few days earlier; for once, the living room was actually spotless.

"Still, did you really need to take those extra gems?" Rose asked as York sat at his work table. The woodworker had also been able to remove the burn mark from the desk, which York was very grateful for; he didn't need the constant reminder of the Brilliant Darkness. "Well, Hugh had more than enough, and I'm tired of him trying to act rich to insult me. Plus, now I actually have some gold in that safe I bought. And before you ask, no, I'm still not telling you the combination."

"I guess, but it still seems a bit wrong," Rose said, sitting in the new couch she had bought for the now clean room. "Well, did I ever say I was trying to be the good guy?" York replied, beginning to tinker with his bowgun. "…Is that thing safe?" Rose asked, looking at the gun warily. "Yeah, it is. I made sure not to load it, and I have a safety lock on the trigger; it shouldn't fire."

"'Shouldn't'?" "Hey, nothing is certain, lady. There's always the off chance it'll go off and put another seven or eight holes in the wall." "…Are you joking or are you actually being serious?" "Yes." "York…" "Alright, sorry; yeah, I was kidding. There's no way it'll fire at this precise moment."

Rose sighed; York's humor was a bit hard to understand, but he always found literal explanations amusing. "You know, you're really difficult sometimes, York." "Ain't that why ya love me so much?" "Unfortunately, yes," she replied, smiling. "So, now that the house is 100% fixed, what's next?"

York shrugged as he continued working with his gun. "Not sure; to be honest, I'm fine with taking a break. There's been way too much going on lately to get more than a few days' rest. I'm just glad we managed to get this last month off." "Good point, I'm fine with just taking it easy t-"

A small burst of fire from York's desk cut her off! He yelped as he flipped the chair back in surprise, spilling onto the floor in the process. He clutched his hand over the right side of his face, covering his eye. Rose immediately rushed over to where he lay, extremely worried. "York! Are you okay!?"

"Ugh… didn't expect that to happen," he replied sitting up. York moved his hand away from his face; the scar over his eye was bright red, but otherwise he was unharmed.

He blinked his eye a few times in discomfort; "Damn, Doc was right; I've had this scar for years, and a bit of heat almost opened it again." Rose sighed in relief as he got to his feet. "You need to be more careful. He told you to avoid things like that, right? You almost lost your eye once, and I really don't want to see you lose it."

He smiled amusingly at her; "Oh, so you love me for my personality _and_ my eyes? Seems the list just keeps getting longer." "If you wanna add something else to that 'list', you also get a lot of gifts for me." "…Okay, I guess there's that too…"

York looked over at his desk before groaning in irritation. "Friggin hell, we just got that fixed!" The desk had a large burn mark in the center of its top caused by the explosion. Some of the wall had also been charred, but fortunately nothing was set aflame. "…Maybe the carpenter hasn't gone that far yet," Rose said hopefully. "Well, we can worry about that later," York replied, picking up the gun. "Let's see if my new addition works."

"…What do you mean?" "Well, this used to only be able to fire pellet shots, right? Now it should be able to use wyvernfire too." "Wyvernfire?! _That's_ what went off?! God, York, you could've killed yourself!" "Yeah, but chances are even if that did actually manage to kill me, I'd just come back to life in a few days," York sarcastically replied. "Death isn't exactly something that's going to keep me down for long." "York..." "I'm kidding!"

The two went onto the balcony outside Rose's room, where York loaded the round into his weapon before sliding the rack below the barrel back and forth, chambering it. Flipping off the safety, he pointed the gun out over the sea, aiming down the sights. "York, is this really a good idea?" Rose asked, somewhat worried. "No, this is a great idea. There's a big difference between the two," he replied. "Good ideas usually work; great ones need to be tested."

York pulled the trigger, and a large burst of fire erupted from the barrel of the gun! The fireball shot out for about ten feet before quickly dissipating, leaving nothing but a small wave of heat and a bit of smoke rising from the barrel. York racked the slide again, ejecting the spent round from the gun before shouting out in triumph! "Hell yeah! That's what I'm talking about! See? Nothin' to worry about."

Rose sighed, again relieved that nothing bad had happened. "I'll admit it; that was awesome," she said. "Yeah, and the good news is the heat doesn't get to my eye, either." "Wait, you did that knowing it might open the scar up!?" Rose asked, shocked. "Uh… I mean, it doesn't… blow the gun up?" he replied unconvincingly. Rose huffed in anger at his recklessness; "I told you I didn't want you to blow your eye out, and you could have right then!"

"...Well, I figured it wouldn't backfire, and it didn't. I felt the risk was acceptable." "Acceptable?! Losing half of your sight is 'acceptable'?! Dammit York, you can be such an idiot sometimes! What would you have done if it had reopened the scar?! Do you have any idea how worried you've made me in just these past five minutes!? I swear, you-!" "Hey, Rose?"

York cut her off by suddenly stepping forward and kissing her! After a moment, they parted, and she looked straight into his clear blue eyes. He smiled for a second before continuing; "Shut up, would ya? You aren't as pretty when you're yellin' at me." She looked into his eyes for a little longer before relaxing a bit. "Well, nothing happened, right? I guess what's done is done. But please, don't scare me like that again, okay?" "I'll try not to."

They went back inside, and York set the gun against one of the walls before joining Rose in inspecting the burns on the table and the wall. A knock on the door drew both of their attentions from the black mark on the desk.

York unlocked the door before opening it, revealing a man in a red Guild uniform. "Mr. York, is it?" "Don't call me Mr. I'm not that old. Now, what's the matter? Somethin' up?" he asked as Rose stood next to him. "We have a special request for you. The Guild is uncovering some ruins out near the Sandy Plains. The area the dig is taking place is in the G rank zone; the workers need some guards." York frowned a bit at the news.

"I'm not really up for guard duty. Why's this a 'special' request?" The man in the uniform handed him a small piece of paper with the Guild symbol stamped on it. York read the note over a few times, somewhat irritated.

_ York,_

_We are preparing to send a team out to the more dangerous side of the Sandy Plains for an archeological dig. We would like you to help protect them while they work, as you are one of the few master hunters we have available at this time. And, if you are concerned over the issue of payment, I am willing to reward you up to 35 hundred in gold. Please report to the site as soon as you are able to; I rarely issue direct orders to hunters, but this is important. _

_The Guildmaster_

At the bottom of the page, in an entirely different handwriting, there was a side note;

_Kid, if ya don't accept this, I'm dockin' yer pay!_

"Why, that sleazy old-"

"I get the feeling he didn't actually write this…" Rose remarked, looking at the top of the letter. "Of course not; the Guildmaster has a secretary for that. Are you able to leave immediately?" the Guild member asked. "Hold on a sec, you expect me to go out into the middle of the desert with no equipment or backup? At least give me some time to get ready; there isn't a problem with bringing a few others along, right?"

"Of course, it would be suicide to go out there unprepared. And no, there is no issue with bringing a few others along; the Guildmaster told me specifically that it would be okay to break the rules a bit and allow you to bring one more person than normal, if you deem it necessary." "Huh. Must really be important then," York replied. "Seeing as how I don't have much of a choice in the matter, I guess I'll accept. You up for this, Rose?"

"Yeah, let's see if we can get the others to come too!" she answered enthusiastically. "Alright, we'll be ready in a bit," York told the Guild member. "Very good, I'll wait for you at the tavern. The transport is at the airship docks; the Guildmaster provided a faster ship than normal, so the trip will not take long at all." "Just one last question." "Yes?" "Exactly how long are we going to be out there?"

"Another group of master hunters is currently dealing with an Elder Dragon attack at the north-eastern fortress. Once they are available, we'll send them in and pull your group out. Shouldn't take more than a few days." "Well, I guess it isn't that bad, even if it is the desert. We'll meet you at the tavern once we've gathered the team." "Much obliged, Mr. York. Thank you so much for accepting this request; between you and me, the boss threatened to make me clean out the Guild tower restrooms if you didn't." "...Uh, no problem?"

The man departed, leaving York and Rose. "I'd hate to have his job," York remarked. "Alright, let's get everything we'll need. We can find the others afterwards," Rose said, beginning to go up the stairs to her room. York quickly changed into his armor, strapping the pouch he carried all his supplies in onto his back.

After making sure he had all his weapons and equipment, York checked the blade in his bracer; he had adjusted the mechanism to work using a ring instead of a pin, allowing the blade to spring out only when he moved his finger at a certain angle. Satisfied, he strapped the dagger Felix had given him to his chest, the handle in a location where he could easily draw the blade with either hand.

As he waited for Rose to finish preparing, York picked up the bowgun he was working on; after a moment, he began putting several shots in his side pouch. _May as well take this with me, too, _he thought, collapsing the gun and slinging it on his back. He wore his dual swords on his waist to keep them out of the way. Rose soon came down the stairs wearing her white Barioth armor, her bow slung across her back.

"You getting ready for a war?" she jokingly asked, seeing the multitude of weapons he was bringing. "Hey, it doesn't hurt to be prepared," York replied, grabbing a few throwing knives. "Considering shit always seems to happen whenever we do anything remotely interesting, I'd rather be safe than sorry." "...Well, when you put it like that, maybe you're right..."

York drew the green bladed sword from his belt, twirling it around quickly in the air and catching the flat of the blade; he held it out to Rose, who had been thoroughly surprised by him. "Take it. Worst comes to worst, at least you'll have something." She took the blade from him and carefully sheathed it above her quiver, which was filled to the brim with arrows.

"Alright, you all set? Let's find Hugh, Karah, and Zephyr so we can get going." "Yeah," she answered, nodding. "But do you think they'll want to come along? I mean, we can't really make them join..." "Well, I can be pretty convincing if I want to be; I think I know how to get Hugh to help out." "...If you say so. Let's get going then." The couple left their home to head out and find the others.

York made sure to lock the door before they departed.

* * *

"I still can't believe I agreed to this…" Hugh complained as the airship flew swiftly over the ocean.

"Hey, we needed your help," York replied. "It was a special request."

"Yeah, for YOU," Hugh retorted, pointing at York. "I only came along because you threatened me!" "Oh come on, it wasn't loaded." "That thing sounds like a one way trip to hell when you rack it like that! I wasn't going to take any chances with you pointing that monster at me!" "Hugh, really, is it that big a deal that we're going?" Karah asked. "It's only for a couple days."

"Yeah, a three-day trip with a cheap-ass, half-insane mechanic-assassin armed with a friggin' small army's worth of weapons!" Hugh replied, exasperated. "Somehow, I get the feeling this won't end well for me." "Who're you callin' a cheap-ass?"

"Hugh, it's just a few days standing around guarding some people while they dig," Zephyr said. "You don't have to make it sound like you're on a death trip." "Yeah, I even made sure to bring extra cool drinks," Rose added. "It won't be that bad!"

"I'm more pissed that you asked us to help you with this long a job this soon after making us clean your house," Hugh said. "And then lying about the amount of money it would take just so you would have extra! Not to mention we're going to the middle of the freakin' desert..." "Okay, first off, it was your fault the house got trashed in the first place. Secondly, you have more than enough of those gems collecting dust to afford giving a few away," York replied. "And third, I hate the desert way more than you do, so quit bitching about it."

"York, if I didn't know you were as good a fighter as you are, I'd have socked you in the face right about now," Hugh grumbled. York laughed at the comment. "Well, if you're that pissed, save it for one of the monsters we might see; this is G-Rank territory, bud. We'll probably have more work than you think."

"…This job better be worth it…"

* * *

_Now this was a fun chapter to write. I figured it was about time York actually used the gun; it's been sitting around for the better part of thirty chapters, and was only used as a joke on one occasion. And yes, York is that high of a rank; truth be told, I only decided to send them to a place where G-Rank monsters would be because of the fact that I just made it to that point in game. At least, I did at the time I first started writing this chapter a good while ago. That, my faithful reader, is how life helps write the story! Thanks yet again for reading, and remember to review, favorite, and follow! _


	41. Chapter 41-Lessons and Relations

_Hello once more, my faithful reader! Good to see you! I'm speaking metaphorically, of course; I can't actually see you. But hey, that doesn't mean we can't communicate, right? Speaking of communication, a while back a user PM'd me and asked me to include a character for him. I'm proud to say I finally managed to fit him into the story in a pretty effective way. I'll give all credits at the end of the chapter, of course; don't want to spoil any surprises or anything, right? And so, without further ado, here's chapter 41! As always, enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 41- Lessons and Relations

"Are you sure you don't want a parachute? It's a long drop…"

"Trust me, I'll be fine."

York turned from the Guild member before sprinting off the side of the airship, followed by Rose, Hugh, Karah, and Zephyr. The others all had parachutes on; York's was built into his suits back, so he didn't need one.

As the five hunters plummeted through the clouds, the massive expanse of desert appeared before them. The pale yellow of the sand stretched out farther than the eye could see, while several valleys and crevasses were cut into the landscape. Their destination was immediately below them; several tents were set up around a large rock face where the dig was taking place. The camp was set up nearby a crudely constructed dock with a medium sized sand ship docked on it; the area was fairly well protected, with the sand sea covering the west and the rock wall blocking the south and the east.

"Looks like we have company!" Zephyr called out, shouting so he could be heard over the wind. The others saw what he meant; a Sand Barioth was approaching the site from the unguarded north! Even from the height they were at, York could see some of the people in the camp frantically moving about to prepare for the possible fight.

"G-Rank or not, I've got this one!" Hugh shouted. The others deployed their chutes about fifty feet from the ground, but he kept falling!

"Hugh! What are you doing!?" Karah worriedly cried out. His chute deployed as he neared the ground, slowing him down considerably, but he quickly detached it from his back once he was above the Sand Barioth. He fell the remaining distance, drawing his great sword as he went! Lightning crackled from the blade as he swung it down, straight through the monster's neck! With one extraordinary attack, Hugh decapitated the Sand Barioth! His blade struck the ground after killing the beast, splitting the sand and releasing a small burst of electricity.

The others landed a few moments later and ran over to Hugh, who was sitting on the severed head of the creature wiping the blood off of his sword. "And you said I was insane," York said, looking at the Sand Barioth's carcass.

"That's 'cause you ARE insane, York. I was just really, _really_ pissed off," Hugh replied, not looking up from his sword. "Feeling better then?" Zephyr asked, surveying the damage Hugh's blade did to the Barioth's neck. "Like you wouldn't believe."

"Oi! Are you the hunters they sent to guard the site?" One of the men from the approaching group called out. "Yeah, we weren't late, right?" York responded. "Nah, you actually made it just in time, it would seem," the man responded, staring at the monster's corpse. "Thanks for dealing with that thing; we had quite a scare when we saw it. Not many of the workers are experienced fighters." Hugh grunted as he stood up; "Don't mention it. Wasn't that hard anyways."

Karah suddenly grabbed his ear lobe and pulled him down to her level! "Ow, ow, ow, hey, ease up!" "Hugh, what the hell were you thinking?! You scared me half to death with that stunt!" "Ow, I'm sorry! Stop pulling my ear!" "Then don't do things like that!" "I knew what I was doing! Kind of! Ow!" "What would you have done if your chute hadn't opened soon enough!?"

York and Rose laughed at the similarity their previous exchange was to Hugh and Karah's. After she was done calling Hugh an idiot for the seventh time, York pulled him aside. "Listen, just a bit of advice, never do something stupid in front of women; they take it _very_ seriously." "…Ya coulda told me that sooner, York." "I did, you just didn't pay attention."

The man led the hunters towards the camp then; several tents were set up around a large rock wall, which had what looked to be a cave at the bottom. Several other workers were hauling stones out of the tunnel while others entered to continue the excursion; many were rolling large barrels of gunpowder in to help blast out the rocks.

"So, what exactly are you digging for, anyways?" Rose asked. "We think there may be an ancient ruin within the wall," the man responded. "A sort of temple or haven, as far as we know." "What are you trying to find there, though?" Zephyr also asked.

"Some of the Guild scholars believe there was a group dedicated to hunting Elder Dragons. According to their research, this group created a weapon or something that was incredibly strong against dragons. We're hoping to either find the weapon, or maybe a design of some sort that could help us recreate it. Plus, some of the Guild scholars say the place must be well past a thousand years old, so there may be some historic value as well."

"Does this group have a name?" York asked, recalling what Felix had told him before the hunter's death. "One of the scholars said something about them being Elder Dragon hunters, but that's all I gathered." York stared intently at the cave, hard at thought. _Didn't Felix say that there was one more sanctuary in the desert? Maybe… Could it be...? But, what are the chances... Then again... _He must've stood there for longer than he realized, because next thing he knew Rose was pulling his arm.

"Is… something wrong, York?" "No, it's… it's nothing. Don't worry about it." "York…" "Really, it's nothing." She made a face showing her discontent, but remained silent as they moved on through the camp.

After a short tour of the camp, the man led them to the tents that were set aside for the hunters. There were three of them, all medium sized and made from the same tan colored cloth as the others. They were mostly identical on the inside, as well; a table stood in the center, a portable mattress was pushed into the upper left corner with a nightstand right next to it. Besides that, the tents were mostly empty.

"Well Zeph, looks like you've got a tent to yourself," Hugh said with a laugh. "Considering you're the only one here without a significant other…" "Yeah, yeah, very funny. I can't help it that she lives in Jumbo Village, can I?" Zephyr replied, entering the rightmost tent. "One of these days, we'll have to meet this mystery woman," Hugh said before entering the center tent along with Karah.

"Guess we got the left," York said, opening the flap and walking into the last tent with Rose. "About time we got into the shade; I hate the desert," he said, pulling his hood back and setting his pack down on the table. Rose just silently stared at him, though. "Uh… is something wrong?"

"I don't know, is there?" she replied, crossing her arms. "Ever since the… incident at the forest, you've been getting all secretive about everything. And don't think I haven't noticed; you've told me 'it's nothing' at least seven times this past month. Why can't you tell me what happened with Felix? Did he tell you something before he died?"

"I… don't suppose you'd be willing to wait until we get back for an explanation?" "No, I want to know _now._ I don't care if it's good or bad; you can't keep these things to yourself all the time!" York sighed heavily before sinking into one of the chairs by the table.

"…I guess you should know too…"

York then explained everything to her; about the dagger Felix gave him, his parents, the Alatreon, and the Brilliant Darkness's plot. Rose sat silently for a while, taking in all the information as York told it. After a few moments of silence, she spoke up; "You should've told me sooner, York." "Maybe, but… I just didn't want to get you involved in all this." "I already am! And that's why I want to help you!"

"…I really hate that you're always right. I'm sorry I didn't say anything before, and I won't hide anything else, okay?" Rose sighed, relieved that he was finally opening up. "Thanks, York. Now let's get some rest; we have a lot to do tomorrow…"

* * *

"Come on, we really don't need a celebration…" Dustin pleaded.

Dustin and his hunting party were seated at the tavern, surrounded by the crew of the ship they had sailed back on. The sailors had been telling everyone they could of the encounter with the Ceadeus, giving Dustin a lot more attention than he was comfortable with. Almost every hunter in the tavern was trying to catch a glimpse of him in the large crowd that surrounded his table. Fortunately, everyone seemed so busy talking around them that the four were able to converse among themselves.

"Dusty, ya gotta learn to just go with it sometimes," Lyle remarked with a laugh. He had already downed several tankards of ale that the crew had insisted on providing, but somehow he didn't seem drunk. "But I do appreciate you sending all the booze my way." "How are you able to drink so much and not feel at all sick?" Conner asked, staring at the tankards stacked in front of the hammer user; there were at least seven there. He simply laughed his response; "Lots of practice!"

"Why don't you want to celebrate?" Sal asked. "It's not like something like that happens every day. Why not enjoy ourselves?" "I don't have a problem with parties, but I don't exactly like having every hunter in the city trying to get my autograph. I really don't like being the center of attention, you know?"

"I think it's a bit too late for that, son!" a familiar voice said from the crowd. The crew parted as Richard approached the table, followed by Joshua and a hunter Dustin hadn't seen before. His armor was made out of a teal blue material, outlined by what seemed to be bone. A few designs were carved into the armor; lightning bolts, from the looks of it, that glowed a bright blue. The most striking feature of the suit, though, was the helm; it had a strong, majestic feel to it. Two large horns extended from the top of the wolf-like helm, and the front sections glowed similarly to the streaks of light on the armor. It gave off an air of a feral, yet proud beast.

"Seems that you've been causing quite the commotion," the mystery hunter said. "Remarkable that you've only been at it for a few weeks and you've already fought an Elder Dragon!" Joshua continued.

"Well, don't keep us waiting; tell us what happened!" Richard said, seating himself at the table opposite Dustin. Joshua and the other hunter sat on either side of the captain, also intent on hearing the tale. "Well, it all started when we were hunting a Duramboros…"

Dustin recounted the story of how he and the others defeated the brute wyvern, and of the encounter with the Ceadeus on the return trip. The others occasionally pointed out things he had forgotten, but mostly left Dustin to explain. He tried to play down his own role in the fight, but Richard's face was beaming with pride when Dustin told him of how he captained the ship. Once he was done, the captain burst out laughing!

"Dustin, this is simply incredible! Only one Ceadeus has ever been killed by a hunter, and even she needed the best equipment and a lot of luck to pull it off. To drive one off is no small feat!" "Come to think of it, it's a very similar story to yours, captain," the teal armored hunter remarked.

"Ah, the one about the Jhen Mohran? I suppose they were similar, but Dustin's was a bit better; I was twice his age when I fought the thing, after all." "But… I had a full team, and the crew. You didn't have any hunters with you, right?" Dustin asked. "Well, no, but we were much better prepared than you would have been…"

"Damn, you two are almost exactly the same, you know that?" Lyle quipped, chugging another tankard of ale. "So, if you don't mind me asking, who's this?" Sal asked, referring to the teal armored hunter. "Ah, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. Name's Jeremy, glad to meet you all."

"What kind of armor is that you are wearing? It looks very strong," Conner said. "That it is. You all are familiar with the Guild ranking system, correct?" The group nodded; it was something they had picked up on while training. "Well, the highest ranked quests are known as G-Rank. These monsters are some of the nastiest out there, so they only send in the best of the best to deal with them."

"So you're sayin' you made that armor from one of those monsters?" Lyle asked. "Yes, but the materials from G-Rank monsters are far more useful than those from even the High Rank quests. With them, it's possible to make even stronger armor that looks completely different from the other versions. Mine's made from a Zinogre I hunted with Joshua, York, and Rose a while back. I... still think I have to pay York back for his help, though."

"Yes, Jeremy and I go very far back. I do still find it rather funny, though; most lancers despise long sword users, yet he and I get along quite well." "Why don't lancers like long swords?" Sal asked. "I can honestly say I do not know. One hunter told me that a long sword made him trip up when he was attacking a Rathalos, but I think it would be his fault for not paying attention to his teammate…"

Richard cleared his throat, ending the conversation there. "Anyways, Dustin, you still haven't learned how to Demon Dance yet, have you?" "No, not yet… I don't even remember how I did it during the fight with the Barroth…" "Well, Jeremy here is going to help you out with that."

"Wait, what? Really?" "Well my friend, you asked me to help you with it, and this is what I could do," Joshua said. "Jeremy can explain the energy of weapons better than I can, at least."

"Yeah, it's not that hard once you learn how to do it. I guess I'll just give you a basic run down on the topic-" "Woah woah woah, hold up a second here!" Lyle said. "I ain't lookin' for a lesson here! We're partying, not listening to some guy going on about 'weapon energy' and crap."

"…Well, if you don't want to hear, I suppose we ought to take this elsewhere." "I'm fine with that. It's been getting a bit too crowded around here anyways," Dustin replied, eyeing the crowd around their table. "You coming too, dad?"

"Sorry Dustin, but the crew and I are going out on another job tonight. The Guild wants us to get a closer look at the area around the Stinging Winds to see if one of their scholars can find a reason for the strange weather there. It'll take a few days at the most." "...Alright, I get it. Good luck out there, then."

Dustin embraced his father before the captain left the tavern with a quick good-bye. Dustin left with Joshua through the back door of the tavern, careful to avoid attracting too much attention from the large crowd around them. Most of them actually ignored Dustin; they must've thought the hunter who had driven off the Elder Dragon would have much more rare equipment.

Sally had insisted on coming along too; once they left the tavern, she walked next to Dustin behind Jeremy. Dustin felt very awkward; ever since their moment after the battle with the Ceadeus, he had been wrestling with his feelings. _Was it just a thank you, or does she actually like me?_ _Dammit, I really suck at this whole 'thought reading' thing…_

"So, what do you think Jeremy will do for training?" she quietly asked him, snapping Dustin out of his thoughts. "Oh, uh, I'm not sure. It probably won't be against a monster or anything, but I don't see how he plans to do it." "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, then."

"Right… hey, if you don't mind me asking, why did you come along, Sal?" "I just thought it would be cool to see you... I mean, learn about this too. Any hunter should know something like this. Did… did you not want me to come?" Her response seemed hasty and accusing, which only further confused Dustin. "No, no, nothing like that, I'm glad you joined, I was just… wondering."

"Why? Is it weird that I wanted to see what my hunting partner was going to learn?" "N-no, not at all, but-" "Then what is it?" "Geez Sal, you're killing me here! Can we talk about this… you know, later, after we're done here?" "Alright, fine…"

Even though they kept their conversation relatively quiet, Dustin wasn't sure if Jeremy had heard any of it. He thought he had heard the hunter chuckle, but the sound could've easily been a cough or something; the armor Jeremy wore muffled and distorted his voice the same way Joshua's skull mask did, making it hard to tell the pitch of his voice.

After walking through the city for a little while longer, the three arrived at a small alleyway. "There's a secluded area back here, mostly used for training. It'll be a perfect spot for what I have in mind," Jeremy said. Dustin and Sally followed the hunter through the alley and entered the training grounds. A few dummies were set up by one of the far walls, dented and worn from use. A few targets were lined up as well; some were still riddled with practice arrows.

The most prominent thing in the area, though, was a large dead tree in one of the corners. Hanging from one of its still strong branches was a large log, about three feet wide and four feet long. "This is what we'll use."

Dustin looked questioningly at Jeremy. "This? It's… a log. How am I going to learn to Demon Dance using a frickin' log?" "Simple; I'm going to swing it at you until you learn how to find your weapon's energy." "Wait, what?!"

"Every person has a sort of hidden potential within themselves. By tapping into this power, we can muster up much more strength than we could normally. While there are different names for each weapons ability, they use mostly the same methods of execution; they require a specific emotion in each person to be used." "Emotion?" Sal asked, confused.

"Yes. For most hunters, it's something like anger or rage; because of how vicious and fluid it can make a dual sword user, especially one who's angry, the ability is called 'Demon Dancing'. Some people, though, have different emotions that they use to unlock this power."

"Like who? Any examples?" Dustin asked. "As a matter of fact, I do know one person, but I don't know what emotion he uses. Still, his Demon Dance is probably the most incredible I've ever seen." "Who is it?" Sally asked. "You both already know him. It's York."

"Wait, York could Demon Dance the entire time, but he never told me how? What the heck?" "He… may never have learned himself, actually. The last time I saw him use that power was about three years ago, and even then it was mostly involuntary. I'm not sure, but… there's more to his power than most others."

"Okay, enough of this, I'm getting a bit sick of talking about York all the time," Dustin finally said. "So, what exactly is your plan for this log?" "Simple, really. This is mostly used to train great sword and lance users to block heavy attacks. It can be lifted by pulling that rope over there. I'll raise it up, and you stand there by those white stones," Jeremy said, pointing at a pair of pale colored rocks with a white line between them.

"What… what does he do if the log hits him?" Sal asked worriedly. "Well, hopefully that won't happen. Many hunters get it on the first try; I'm sure you'll be just fine." "That does not inspire confidence in me…" Dustin said apprehensively. "Well, we can do this, where it's safe, or we can go out and find a Barroth. Whichever you prefer."

With that, Dustin took up his position between the pale stones while Jeremy pulled the thick rope suspending the log; he didn't seem to strain against the weight of the heavy lumber at all, and only after a few tugs, the log hung high above the ground at an angle, ready to swing once Jeremy released his grip.

"Remember what I said; focus on whatever emotion comes to mind, and you should be fine. Nothing like the fear of a three hundred pound log smashing your gut to develop your abilities, am I right?" "Wait, how heavy did you say- son of a bitch!"

The massive piece of lumber quickly swung towards Dustin, the rope creaking as it strained against the immense weight of the log. Every sort of emotion flashed through Dustin's mind as it hurtled towards him; fear, anger, surprise, confusion, anything and everything flooded his mind. Something seemed more prevalent than the others, though; determination.

Quickly focusing on this, Dustin felt a surge of strength within himself; just like the time with the Barroth. But before he could truly unleash it, the log slammed clean into him! Dustin was forcefully thrown back by the impact, his back slamming into the wall opposite the log before falling to the ground.

"Dustin!" Sally called out in an extremely concerned tone. She quickly ran over to him and rested his head on one of her legs. "Dustin! Are you all right?! Say something!"

"…When did the angel get here…?" Dustin asked, his eyelids fluttering from the impact.

Jeremy ran over to where he lay as well, checking to make sure he was okay. "Well… that could have gone better…" "Will he be alright?" Sal asked, still cradling Dustin's head in her lap. "Alright...? Who's hurt...?" "...Well, I'm no doctor, but I'd say he might have some slight head trauma, maybe a broken rib. Honestly, these injuries are almost nothing; the wall looks worse than he does. That's York's craftsmanship at work, I suppose."

It was true; the wall Dustin had slammed into had countless breaks and cracks along the area he had hit. Some bits of the surface had actually fallen out of the wall. The sight was almost comical; one could make out the outline of Dustin's body on the wall.

"I guess we should call it a day…" "No... Not yet." Sal and Jeremy both looked down at Dustin, startled by his tone. "I can… go one more time. I know I can get it." "No! Dustin, you were lucky it didn't kill you! There's no way I'm letting you do that again, especially in your condition!" Sally shouted, trying to make her point clear. "You probably have a concussion, for gods sake!"

"Sal, remember the Barroth? If you think this is bad… then you must not have been watching…" Dustin replied, slowly getting to his feet. Sally stood up with him, at the ready to help support him if he fell. It wasn't necessary, though.

"If you think I'm going to lose to a frickin' block of wood, than you've got another thing comin'," Dustin said, confidently straightening himself out and retrieving his swords. "Dustin…" Sal pleaded, but to no avail. "Sal, if I don't learn this now, when will I? What if you or one of the others get hurt because I can't use this ability? I just can't let that happen." She still looked opposed to the idea, but slowly backed off.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?" he assured, wildly grinning with confidence.

He again took his place at the line, while Jeremy reluctantly agreed to one more attempt and hoisted the log up to its high swinging position. With a nod, Dustin motioned to the master hunter to let the log go, and the large piece of lumber again flew towards him. This time, though, Dustin quickly focused on his confidence, and felt the power again surge throughout his body. With a fierce battle cry, he was enveloped in a hazy red aura!

Dustin swung madly at the log as it neared him; his arms moved faster than he had believed possible, slicing more than a half-dozen times in a mere second. His blazing dual swords cut through the hard log as though it were soft butter; chips of burnt wood flew about the area as Dustin utterly shredded the heavy lumber, eventually finishing the log off with a downward slice with both swords! The last two semi-circles of wood thudded behind him as the aura around him dispersed, leaving nothing but the scent of a campfire behind.

"Dustin! You did it!" Sally exclaimed, running over to where he stood. "Yeah… I… did…?" he replied, teetering on his legs before falling backwards onto the ground. She gasped as she saw him fall, quickening her pace. "Are you okay?" she asked, sitting next to him. "Yeah… Just… really… frickin… tired…"

Jeremy again walked over to where they sat, this time applauding the hunter. "Nice job, Dustin! I haven't seen someone move like that in a very long time; you have a lot of potential. It doesn't seem like much can keep you down." "Yeah… but why… am I… this tired…?" Dustin responded, still panting heavily.

"I… may have forgotten to mention that part. The stamina it takes to use the dual blades to that extent is pretty huge. Demon Dancing might be an effective way to do a lot of damage, but if you aren't careful it could leave you dead tired."

"Why can't… anybody tell me… this stuff BEFORE IT HAPPENS?!" Dustin shouted, exasperated. "Come on, let's get you back to the lodge, Dustin," Sally asked, beginning to help him to his feet. "Wait, drink this first," Jeremy said, tossing Dustin a small yellow bottle. "What's this?" he asked, peering into the glass container.

"It's called Dash Juice. It's a sort of energy drink that helps keep us from feeling the effects of fatigue. It should help you get back to the inn, at least." "Well, might as well." Dustin chugged the bottle before energetically getting to his feet. "How do you feel?" Sal asked.

"Wow, I feel great! That stuff works really well! Why don't I use this more often?! Hey, I'll race you back to the inn! One two three GO!" Dustin took of sprinting, leaving the Sally dumbstruck. "Just wait until the crash kicks in…" Jeremy said, sighing. "Is… is it bad?" "Well, at the speed he's going he'll probably be out for most of tomorrow. Better catch up to him fast; that juice isn't as strong as the kind used for hunting, so he might pass out on the way."

"Oh, shoot, I gotta go catch him!" she said, beginning to sprint after Dustin. "Thanks for the help, Jeremy!" "Not a problem, anytime!" he called after her.

"Yep, she definitely likes him."

* * *

Sally didn't find Dustin on the way to the inn, which worried her a bit. _I hope he made it to the room okay…_ She entered the inn and walked to their shared room, which was already unlocked. Relieved that he had made it, Sally opened the door and entered the dark room. "Dustin, are you here?"

Her answer to almost trip over his motionless body sprawled over the floor! She shot her arm out to try and catch the table and keep herself from falling, but also knocked the lamp over in the process! "…Oh, hey, Sal… What's up- ugh!" Dustin sleepily said before the lamp crashed over his head, knocking him out cold!

"Crap! Dustin, are you alright?" His response was a slurred jumble of words; he wasn't going to be moving on his own anytime soon. With a sigh, Sally struggled to move him over to his half of the room and onto his bed; fortunately, Dustin had managed to remove his armor before collapsing, so he wasn't nearly as heavy as he was with it on.

After dragging him onto the mattress, Sally pulled the covers over Dustin, who was still mumbling in his sleep. She giggled at the sound; it couldn't even be called sleep talking. She again sighed before lifting her necklace up, gazing into the brilliant ruby center stone. She looked back at Dustin and smiled; Sally walked over and kissed him softly on the forehead before returning to her side of the room.

"Good night, Dust." His response was unintelligible, but it still made her smile.

* * *

_Well well, looks like a lot of character interactions were taking place, eh? I'm not gonna lie; this chapter was actually relatively hard to write, but I'm still pleased with how it turned out. Lots more plot development, character development... most kinds of development, it would seem; this is also my longest chapter yet! And, as for our guest character, shout out to FatalisSlayer101 and his character, Jeremy! He'll probably show up somewhere else down the line too, but I'm glad I was finally able to get around to including him. Also, for those of you who are wondering, yes, Dustin and Sally do like each other, and Sal knows it, but Dustin doesn't. It makes their interactions much more fun to write, at least. Kinda similar to York and Rose, hint hint, wink wink! Anyways, as always, thanks for reading! Please remember to review, favorite, and follow! ...Or, just keep reading, as I'm perfectly fine with that too._


	42. Chapter 42-Victory

_Hello once again! This chapter... hoo boy, was this a challenge. There's going to be a lot going on these next chapters, that's for sure. So, expect them to start getting longer; I don't think anyone will mind, right? Alright, here comes the most action packed chapter yet!_

* * *

Chapter 42- Victory

_3 Days Later…_

"Rose, do you have another cool drink?" "What? I just gave you one!" "Which doesn't mean I'm not burning."

It was late in the day, and the sun still blazed upon the campsite. York and Rose were keeping watch, making certain nothing got close to the camp. Unfortunately, aside from a small group of Jaggis, nothing even came close to the camp, leaving them extremely bored. She passed him another cool drink, which he graciously chugged down.

"I'm going to see if I can make some of the extra cloth into an open tent for us. We seriously need some shade," York said, sinking into the chair he had brought out. "Well, you might, but I'm fine," Rose replied. "I've actually got a pretty nice tan!"

"Yeah, and somehow I managed to get sunburned without even having my skin exposed! I still don't know how the hell that happened…" "Oh, cheer up! Hugh and Karah will take our place in a few minutes and we can check up on the workers. The cave is nice and dark, and pretty cool too." "Trust me, I can't wait. Hopefully they'll find this temple thing so we can get the hell out of here."

"But… don't you want to see what they find? I mean, if it is something that could help us…" "If it is, then we'll check it out. Chances are they'll want to keep us around in case the place is full of monsters. Of course, that's assuming there actually is something in this mountain."

"Well, the scholars seemed pretty sure of themselves. Maybe there is something they'll find." "Yeah, I hope so too."

"What's this about finding something?" Hugh suddenly asked, approaching the spot they were sitting at with Karah. "You don't actually think they'll find something, do you? Those scholars are freaking insane!" "And we aren't?" York sarcastically replied. "Whatever, you guys can take over here. Have fun burning to death in that armor."

"…You do remember that our armor is fire resistant, right?" Karah pointed out. "…We're leaving." York left with Rose as Hugh and Karah laughed to themselves. The pair made their way to the excavation site; Zephyr was just leaving the cave as well, and waved to the two as he went back to his tent for a rest.

"So, six hours of sitting in the sun, and six hours of sitting in a cave. Seems like a great use of time," York said, entering the cavern. Numerous strange, bright stones were strung along the ceiling that offered enough light to see clearly through the cave. Several long fuse strings were on the floor, connecting to the bombs that had been rolled in earlier. They led to the exit, meaning the workers could light the fuse and remain safely outside the cave if it collapsed.

A pair of voices echoed through the cave, farther in than York and Rose were. "I'm telling you, seven barrels is too much! If you don't want this job to end up like the last one, you'd listen to me!" "If we don't use this many, we won't be able to blast through this layer of stone!"

"God dammit, are those two at it again?" York groaned. A pair of men garbed in Guild uniforms stormed by, arguing with each other as they went. "How do they get anything done if they fight with each other all the time?" Rose asked, looking after the scholars.

"I don't know, and I really don't want to know. Come on, let's see how the workers are doing." After walking deeper into the cavern, York and Rose came across a group of about half a dozen men. They were all covered with grime and soot from working in the mine, and they all wore the same irritated expressions on their faces. Their faces brightened a bit seeing the two hunters approaching, but they still looked not at all pleased.

"Howdy there, hunters. Glad you could drop by," one of them said, getting up from one of the barrels near the back of the cave. "Yeah, how goes the dig?" York asked. "Well, we've pretty much hit a wall here. Our pickaxes can't even scratch this stone, and so far explosives haven't done much better. We'd need a few more kilos, but those two can't decide on how much. So, we're pretty much stuck here."

York let out an irritated sigh; "This has to be the hundredth time they've argued about something. Let me see if I can do something about this..." "Hunter, if you think you can do anything to get them to cooperate, go right on ahead and try," another one of the workers stated. "And good luck with that."

"Trust me, I can be very… convincing. Rose, stay here and make sure nothing happens, alright?" "Okay, no problem," she replied. Some of the workers had devious expressions on there faces upon hearing this, which York immediately noticed. "Any of you guys try something while I'm gone, and I will make sure you never see the light of day. Ever. Again. Got it?"

York left the terrified workers in the cave, quickly exiting the tunnel and making his way to the tent he heard the most arguments from. "No, no, no! Four bombs won't be enough! Based on the density of the wall, we'd need at least another three to break through!" "Are you mad?! That many bombs will cause a cave in! We can't afford to waste all that work because of your flawed ideas!"

York entered the tent then, abruptly cutting off the scholars argument. "What do you want, hunter? This isn't something that would concern a dumb brute like yourself." "Yes, go and do… whatever it is you people do."

These two were the worst kind of people the Guild employed; they looked down on everyone who wasn't signing their paychecks, and never listened to any ideas other than their own.

York drew his axe as he walked to the table the two were arguing over before planting it into the hard wood, causing the scholars to leap back in shock! "What in the name of-!"

"Alright you two, I had it to here with this shit. I'm tired, I'm sunburned, I'm thirsty, and I'm really, _really _pissed off. The past three days have been nothing but a whirlwind of pointless fights between you two, and truth be told, everyone else is probably ready to slit one of your throats. So, if you can't find a way to come to some kind of agreement, you'll both end up far worse off than that."

"Do you have any idea who you're threatening?! When the Guild hears about this-" York cut him off with a swift blow to the jaw, knocking the man to the floor! The other moved to draw his rapier, but York swiftly grabbed the man's wrist and threw him onto the table, springing the black tailspike blade from his bracer in the same motion and holding it to the man's throat!

"When the Guild hears about this, they'll realize how terrible of a job they've done hiring you two. Now, come to an agreement, or I'll give the workers a reason to rebel. Got it?"

"A-alright, alright! We'll use the first four bombs, and use the next three afterwards! Tell the workers to roll out three of the bombs, and we'll leave it at that!"

"Good."

York retracted the blade from the man's neck and let him up from the table while the other struggled to his feet. Their faces were flushed with anger, but they remained silent as York retrieved his axe from the table. "Now, next time you decide to hold up the entire excavation, remember that I can easily beat the crap out of both of you. Don't-"

York was cut off as Hugh burst through the front of the tent! "York, we got a problem!" "What!? What happened?!"

"We got a sand ship coming in, and it definitely ain't one of the Guild's! It's got the black dragon on one of its sails!"

"Shit, this isn't good… Get Zephyr, we're going to need him for this. Where's Karah?"

"She's going through a supply tent right now trying to see if there's anything we can use. I'll get Zeph, you go and help her. And York, make sure she doesn't get hurt, alright?"

"Alright, I got it. You two, take cover in the tunnels. Tell the hunter in there what's happening, but tell her I said to stay there and make sure the others don't run." The Guild scholars looked like they wanted to argue, but nonetheless did as he asked.

The hunters quickly sprinted out of the tent, and work saw what they were dealing with; a massive sandship, easily dwarfing any of the Guild's, was making its way towards the camp! Hugh went off towards the tent Zephyr was in while York ran over to the tent Karah was in looking for extra supplies.

"Is there anything in here we can use?" York asked. "It's all just mining supplies; I don't see how any of this can help us!" "Dammit… Maybe we can-" Several loud blasts drowned out the rest of his sentence!

"Shit! Cannon fire! Move!"

York sprinted out of the supply tent with Karah, narrowly avoiding the shells that demolished the cloth building! Cannonballs tore up the camp, demolishing tents and kicking up sand in every direction. The two took cover behind a large stone, thick enough to withstand the explosives.

"Hugh and Zephyr should be on the other side of the camp! Move around the far edge of the camp; the shells shouldn't hit near the tunnel. Get behind those rocks and wait for us there; I'll go find them." "Okay, be careful!" Karah did as he said, quickly making her way towards the tunnel.

"Alright, let's get dangerous."

York took off sprinting through the remains of the camp as the sand ship fired another volley of cannonballs! The shells exploded all around him as he raced through the camp, kicking up sand and debris; he remained unfazed as he made his way through the demolished remains of one of the tents. He was forced to go around one of the destroyed tents, cutting a sharp left and dodging another explosion! One of the tents fell in his path, forcing him to again change directions and turn to the right, sliding under the burning debris into a half collapsed tent.

Quickly leaping over the blazing remnants of a table and rushing outside, York ducked as another cannonball tore past and blew up his tent! "God damn it!"

"York! Over here!" Zephyr called out to him from behind a large boulder he and Hugh were using as cover. York ran over to them, diving just as a shell landed behind him and propelling him behind the boulder! He managed to roll to a stop, but the shockwave left his ears ringing.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?!" the long sword user shouted over the sound of explosions. "York, where's Karah?!" Hugh worriedly asked, not seeing her with him. "She's taking cover near the excavation site. The shells can't reach that far, so it's the safest we can get. We've got to make our way over there and regroup."

"Are you kidding?! How are we supposed to make it through this without getting blown to bits?!" Zephyr said as another cannonball struck the boulder they were behind.

"Easy," York replied as the ship fired another volley of cannonballs. Right as the shells impacted the already devastated site, he took off sprinting!

"Run like hell!"

Hugh and Zephyr didn't think twice before following him; the ship wouldn't be able to fire immediately after the last volley, giving them time to put more distance between them and the immense sand ship. They successfully managed to avoid the shells that inevitably followed, narrowly escaping the onslaught of cannon fire. They took cover behind the rocks surrounding the dig site, a safe distance from the ship's maximum range.

"Thank god you guys made it!" Karah exclaimed, embracing Hugh. "The camp is completely destroyed!" "Yeah, how we made it through that without a scratch, I don't know," Hugh replied, out of breath. "We were lucky," Zephyr commented. "Let's hope it lasts…" His voice trailed off as the cannonfire ceased, and the ship began to move closer to the destroyed landscape.

"York!" Rose called out from the tunnel, running over to the group and crouching next to York. "Are you alright?!"

"Yeah, I'm fine! Listen, I need you to stay in there with the workers; keep them calm, make sure they don't bolt, got it? If anyone makes it past us into the tunnel, they shouldn't be able to dodge one of your arrows." "But-!" "Rose, we can't let them get killed! I need you in there!"

She looked into his eyes before kissing him passionately, forgetting the danger for a moment. She moved away from him after a few seconds, still gazing into his clear blue eyes. "Promise me we'll make it out of this?" she quietly asked.

"…I can't promise anything, Rose. Even I have to admit that. But I sure as hell won't go down without a fight." "Wow, you really had to have a moment while were busy trying to not get blown up?" Hugh asked with a smirk.

"Hugh, if there was ever a time for a moment, it'd be now!" Karah said, leaning closer to him. "I getcha," he replied, leaning in close and kissing her. Zephyr rolled his head in irritation at the sight. "Come on, this isn't the time!"

"Zeph, leave them be," York said as the couple pulled away from each other. "Listen, all of you. This might not go as well as one of our hunts. We don't know how many people they've got on that thing, and we have to assume that they've got at least one or two monsters with them. This isn't going to be like any of the other fights; they're going full force this time. But there's something I know; we are a team. Together, we've done things that others can't even dream to accomplish. There isn't a thing that can stop us if we work together. These bastards aren't going to back down, and neither will we! So let's show 'em what we can do!"

York put his right hand in the center of the group, and the others followed suit. "This will not be our last fight. This is just the start of a new battle; and this is one we. Won't. Lose."

The others all nodded in acceptance of this, and got to their feet. Rose retreated back into the tunnel while York, Hugh, Karah, and Zephyr drew their weapons in preparation for the fight. The immense sand ship crushed the remains of the dock and the smaller ship that was docked there, opening a massive door on its front that provided a walkway from the inside of the ship to the desolated area.

Almost as soon as the door made contact with the ground, dark robed figures sprinted out of the ship, racing towards the excavation site! About five dozen cloaked figures wielding all manner of small weapons rapidly approached the site. "Here they come!" Hugh shouted to the others.

York quickly grasped several throwing knives and flung them at the approaching enemies; many found their marks with deadly precision, striking down seven of the figures instantly! The others, though, were unfazed by their comrades' deaths and kept charging at the site.

York quickly flipped the customized gun he made open and loaded several rounds into it, racking the slide once it was full to chamber a round. "Alright, let's see how much they like this!"

Soon, the members of the Brilliant Darkness were upon them, engaging the four hunters! Zephyr and Karah worked to fight them off from the left side of the area while York and Hugh took the right. He noticed at a closer look that their robes that they were nearly identical to his own. _They must have used the designs after all…_

Before any of the figures could attack him, York fired his gun, the barrel letting loose a resounding blast that tore through the first of them! The man was sent flying back from the force of the shot, knocking into another one of his comrades in the process! York fired four more blasts, taking out several more of the black robed men easily.

"York, on the right!" Hugh called out, striking one of the figures with the hilt of his sword and kicking him back. York quickly ducked as an iron sword whizzed past his head, pointing the barrel of his gun at his attacker and firing, sending the man flying through the air!

York blocked another strike with his gun, not having time to chamber the last round. He threw the gun to the ground and drew his axe, parrying another attack and dispatching his attacker with a swift chop to the jaw. He quickly glanced over to where the others were fighting; they were hard pressed trying to fight off the onslaught, but were still otherwise uninjured. One of the robed men got past the three, though, and moved to attack Zephyr from behind!

York quickly grabbed another throwing knife and threw it at the man, striking him in the back of the head with the sharp iron blade! "Watch your back, Zeph!" He heard the long sword user shout back in thanks, but was more focused on the three men attacking him. Blocking a thrust from the first, he redirected the blade into the second with his axe! Not missing a step, he stabbed the first man in the neck with his retractable blade and pulled him in front of the last man's attack! The man couldn't pull his blade free of the body of his ally in time to block York's axe!

_They just keep coming… How many are there!?_ York thought, engaging several more of the figures. Several loud cracks drew his attention to some of the figures in the back; some of the robed figures were wielding bowguns, firing several large rounds at him! He quickly reacted by grabbing one of the attackers and used him as a shield to block the rounds!

York threw another few throwing knives at the bowgunners, striking two of them while the other managed to evade the projectile. Another one of the attackers on the ground, though, quickly lashed out at York's back! _Shit! Not enough time to block…!_

Suddenly, Hugh appeared next to him and struck the man with the broad side of his sword! "Watch your left, York! Don't let up just yet!"

"Thanks, Hugh! Keep it up!" York leapt over Hugh as the great sword user swung his blade in a wide horizontal arc, rolling to a stop and burying his axe into another hooded man. Before the man next to him could react, York stabbed him in the throat with his wrist blade, throwing the figure to the ground in the process! Just as three more of the figures bore down on him, Hugh slashed through all three with a powerful strike!

Hugh leapt back to avoid a counter attack, planting his sword into the ground vertically to block a burst of bowgun fire! York ran towards him, followed by a pair of the robed men. Thinking he was retreating, the two didn't expect it when York kicked off the large blade in front of him and cut them down with a pair of brutal swings from his tomahawk! The two continued to cut down the attackers with a ferocious efficiency, leaving only a few remaining when they backed off to regroup. Karah and Zephyr had likewise been able to successfully repel the attack with minimal injuries; their resolve was strong.

A piercing roar suddenly resounded throughout the area! The remaining attackers backed off at the sound; York, Hugh, Zephyr, and Karah formed a circle with their backs to each other, watching every direction. "Wait… I know that sound!" Hugh said, his eyes widening.

A large shadow fell over the four, along with the beating of wings. The group looked up at the Azure Rathalos and the silver haired man on its back!

"Long time no see, bro!" "Slate…" Hugh practically spat the name, tightening his grip on his sword.

"Don't think I came alone this time!" Another roar sounded, and a large black creature flew over the rocks into the area! The Nargacuga slid to a stop on the other side of the group between them and the cave entrance, its rider glaring at York with his piercing red eyes.

"We meet again, York." "Zeal!" "This time, you won't be leaving here alive." The Nargacuga growled, seemingly in recognition of Zeal's threat. Slate, meanwhile, began to laugh madly as his mount landed, kicking up sand as it dd.

"Well well, looks like we're all here! Guess we could call this round two!"

"All of you, return to the ship," Zeal commanded to his followers. The black robed figures backed away and retreated to the sand ship that had deployed them. "So, let's begin where we left off."

The Nargacuga pounced at the group, angling itself between York and the others! York was forced to jump away from the rest of the group to avoid the black monster, landing with a roll and drawing his clear blue saber. The others tried to react, but the Rathalos shot a stream of fire between them and York; he was trapped with Zeal and the red-eyed beast!

"Not so fast, Hugh! Your fight's with me!" Slate shouted, leaping off his mount and drawing his sword. He landed heavily, but quickly dashed towards the great sword user, who retaliated with a wide horizontal swing of his blade! Their swords clashed with a flash of lightning, sparks dancing off the large blades they wielded. The flying wyvern landed in front of Zephyr and Karah, preventing them from assisting the great sword user!

"Zephyr, Karah! Leave him to me; take care of that Rathalos!" Hugh shouted before shoving Slate back with a kick. "York, you doin' alright over there?!"

"Never better!" he replied, narrowly dodging underneath the Nagacuga's wing as it leapt towards him. Turning as he regained his footing, York swung widely, cutting into the monster's tail! It roared in pain before whipping its body around, forcing York to dive out of the way! He quickly recovered before being forced to jump back to avoid Zeal's spiked sword!

The red eyed man leapt off the back of the creature, swinging his wing-like swords with vicious speed! York again dove out of the way, throwing a knife as he went. Zeal quickly raised his swords to block the knife, obscuring his view of York; York quickly closed the distance between them and slashed at Zeal! Zeal swiftly blocked the strike, catching the clear blue blade with his handguard.

York anticipated this move, though; quickly twisting the blade around, he sliced all the strings attaching the blades to the handguard, causing all but the main blade of the sword to clatter to the ground. With a quick spin, York slashed his saber at Zeal, who barely managed to stop the strike. The black blade was chipped from the strike, and Zeal was sent stumbling back from the force of the attack.

"Hmm… Seems you aren't holding back this time," Zeal commented, gazing at his damaged weapon. "That's because I intend to make it out of this alive, Zeal. You might blame me for what happened, and you have a right to, but if you think I'm going to let you bring back the Alatreon, you have another thing coming!"

"...It seems Felix was able to impart some of what he knew to you before he died. No matter, how much you know won't make a difference. Nothing you can do will be able to stop us." "Is that right?" York asked, drawing the dagger Felix gave him. "And what about this?"

"I don't see how a dagger can help you stop us. It is certainly a fine blade, but that's all it is," Zeal said, brandishing his other sword.

_Does he not know about it? _York thought, puzzled. _That means he doesn't know what it can do!_

Zeal dashed at York again, but the Nargacuga leapt over him and charged at York first! York quickly sidestepped and sliced at the beast's face, forcing it to stumble back as the blade cut through its beak like mouth. Zeal leapt in between the two, swinging his damaged blade at York's left side!

York parried the strike with his saber before slicing clean through the black sword with the dagger! Zeal grunted in surprise as York struck him with the handguard of his saber and kicked him back! "What… what kind of blade is that?" he snarled.

"One that you wouldn't expect me to have. So, what was that about me not leaving here alive?" Zeal glanced at his ruined blade before tossing it aside and drawing his bone dagger. "It doesn't matter; whatever that blade is, it won't stop me from ending you!"

"If you think you can, go right ahead and try me!"

The two again engaged in a furious battle, their blades clashing faster than the eye could see. Zeal made a point to block York's dagger with his own; what ever type of bone it was made from, it was able to withstand the pure blade's sharpness. The Nargacuga slowly circled the two as they fought, sparks dancing as their weapons struck each other again and again.

York and Zeal continued to fight even as the flames the Rathalos breathed dissipated. York could barely spare a glance at his teammates and their battles; Slate and Hugh were again locking blades, but Hugh drew his carving knife and attempted to strike his brother. Slate quickly disengaged and backpedalled away before again charging at Hugh. Karah and Zephyr were also busy combatting the Rathalos, which had taken to the skies again and was attempting to ram the hunters as it flew by.

Zeal quickly leapt back as York attempted to slash his chest with his saber, and a low growl from behind drew York's attention. The Nargacuga leapt at York, snarling with a venomous hatred! He waited until it was almost upon him before ducking beneath the monster's snapping jaws!

"I'm gonna do it right this time!" York let out a fierce battle cry and thrust both of his weapons into the vulnerable creature's skull!

"**NO!" **Zeal's voice was filled with a great pain as York's sword tore through the Nargacuga's brain, and as he repeatedly stabbed into its lifeless skull with his dagger. The number of wounds on the creature's head were countless, and York was certain it wouldn't be coming back again. "Now STAY DEAD!"

"You… what have you done!? I... You... No... It burns..." Zeal began to clutch at his face, as though he were in great pain. He tore off his mask, revealing his burned face and a psychotic expression.

"_MAKE IT STOP!"_Zeal was enveloped in a crimson red aura as he dashed at York with unimaginable speed! York just barely managed to evade the attack, but was forced to leave his saber in the now lifeless corpse of the black monster. He quickly drew his tomahawk and swung the axe at the enraged Zeal, who blocked the attack with his bone dagger and retaliated with his spiked sword! York blocked the strike with his dagger, cutting into the black sword slightly as he did.

Zeal didn't let up, though; with ever increasing fury, he repeatedly struck York's weapons, gradually wearing him down with each attack. York found himself being pushed back by Zeal's ferocious onslaught, and locked blades with the red eyed man as his back hit the stone wall behind him.

"… I WILL DESTROY IT! YOU ARE THE REASON FOR THS PAIN! MY ETERNAL SUFFERING!" Zeal roared, his strength overcoming York. His red eyes were filled with a murderous glow, and absolutely no shreds of sympathy existed within his piercing gaze. "YOU, WHO I ONCE CALLED 'FRIEND'! **DIE!**"

York felt something then; a strange energy dwelling within him. He didn't know what it was, but a new strength seemed to surge throughout his whole being. "No… I WON'T LET YOU!"

York was suddenly surrounded by a bright white aura as he shoved Zeal back! The red eyed man tore at York with unimaginable speed, but York moved even faster than that! He ferociously began to beat Zeal back, denting his black sword with repeated chops from his tomahawk and driving Zeal back further and further!

Once again on even ground, the two began their fight anew, their weapons seemingly phasing in and out of existence as they made contact with each other, and an enormous pressure began to build around the two, kicking up sand as they fought. York began to gain the upper hand, though; noticing only the slightest error in Zeal's movement, he quickly deflected the man's sword and quickly spun about, kicking the red eyed man across the face and sending him to the ground.

Slate noticed how Zeal's fight was going; he had just shoved Hugh back again, knocking the great sword user to the ground. "Zeal, get back!" he called.

Zeal, even in his enraged state, listened to the warning and jumped back; a roar from behind York drew his attention. The Azure Rathalos, covered in numerous wounds and limping slightly on its leg, launched a fireball at York, who barely evaded the attack! York was forced to run as the flying wyvern shot fireball after fireball at him, evading each one as they blasted the earth behind him. Zephyr and Karah again attacked the beast, which took off and shot another two fireballs as York continued to run.

He quickly passed by the entrance to the tunnel, and one of the fireballs blasted where he had been moments before. A loud hissing sound caught York's attention, and he looked back at the cave entrance where the sound was coming from; the fuse to the barrel bombs had been lit by the fireball!

"SHIT! ROSE!" York tore into the cave, racing past the fuse further into the tunnel.

"York! Wait!" Zephyr called out, seeing the hunter dash into the cave. "What happened!?" Karah asked, watching the Rathalos fly down and lift Zeal off the ground into the air. "I don't know, but this can't be good…"

Hugh was sent sliding back as he blocked a broad swing from Slate, coming to a stop next to the other two. "Dammit, I can't get any good hits in!" he grunted, brandishing his Lagiacrus great sword. "What happened with York!?"

"I don't know, he took off into the cave! He should be fine; he beat that Zeal guy pretty badly," Karah answered.

"Alright, then let's finish up here! How do you like these odds, Slate!?"

Almost immediately, the Azure Rathalos landed right behind him, growling as it did. The black cloaked figures returned as well, slowly walking up to stand by Slate. "Pretty good, actually!" he replied, a confident smirk on his face.

"I haven't even been trying, bro!"

* * *

York raced through the tunnel, the lights flying past as he ran. _Not good, not good! Come on, hurry up!_ He desperately thought to himself, seeing the fuse not far behind him. At last, he neared the end of the tunnel where Rose and the workers were standing. She tensed up as he neared, but recognizing him she relaxed her pose.

"York, is everything alright?"

"No! We have to get out, _now! _There's no time; **_RUN_!**_**"**_

The workers, picking up on the urgency of his tone, immediately began running for their lives. Rose and York made sure they went first before racing back as well; the lit fuse passed York barely ten feet from the explosives!

Hardly a second later, an enormous explosion sounded behind the group as the bombs went off! The force of the blast knocked York and Rose to the ground, both covering their heads as bits of shrapnel flew over them and a wave of searing heat enveloped them! A groaning sound came from where the explosion took place, and several cracks appeared on the ceiling. The two again began to run back to the cave entrance as the rocks and stones started to fall from the ceiling. Several of the stones broke above Rose, and York barely tackled her out of the way of the falling debris.

"Rose, come on! We gotta go!" York shouted, helping her up. As she tried to stand, her left leg gave out!

"Agh! One of the rocks hit my leg!"

"Dammit!" he shouted. "Come on; you can't run, but I can!" He quickly lifted her up and furiously began to run through the collapsing cavern, barely outrunning the stones and rocks that fell from above.

York's mind was racing as he continued his frantic race through the tunnel. How far was it? How much longer did he have? How bad was Rose's leg? Was he injured? He couldn't stop to find the answer to those questions; if he hesitated for even a moment the falling rocks would consume them both.

"York…! Your eye!"

"Not now, not now! We're almost there!"

The light at the end of the tunnel was visible; the workers and scholars had just made it out, and were worriedly encouraging him to keep going. Thirty feet, twenty feet, fifteen feet; the exit grew closer with each step. York couldn't outrun the falling stones, though; some were beginning to fall before him, forcing him to leap over them and lose even more time.

_Shit! There isn't enough time… We won't make it!_ His thoughts raced faster than he could, and knowing the inevitable, York decided on his next move. Not ten feet from the entrance, the ceiling broke and began to fall! Before they landed, he pushed off of one of the stones, using his increased momentum to throw Rose out of the cavern!

"York!" she cried, realizing what he was doing. York landed hard on his chest, still a few feet within the cavern!

"Get the hell out of here!"

That was all he could call out as the stones fell upon him, and York disappeared from sight.

* * *

"_**NO!" **_Rose screamed as the cave collapsed on him, her voice filled with a terrible pain so fierce, not one person could ever wish it upon another. The others, who had been fighting off the group of robed figures, turned to see what had happened. Seeing only Rose sobbing uncontrollably and the collapsed cave entrance, they all stood in disbelief as the realization of what happened dawned to them.

"He… he can't be…" Karah stuttered.

"There's no way… that couldn't have happened!" Hugh shouted in denial.

"But… how could this…? York couldn't have…" Zephyr said, his gaze fixated on the caved in tunnel.

Taking advantage of their distracted state, the dark robed figures incapacitated the hunters, knocking them all out with blows to the back of the head. Hugh was the last to fall, still conscious, to the ground; he felt the blood seeping from his head into the sand below him as he hazily gazed at the scene before him.

"Take the girl; leave these ones," Slate ordered. "They won't last a day out here like this anyways." Several of the dark figures moved to grab Rose, who didn't even put up a fight as they dragged her away. Rose's sword, bow, and quiver were quickly tossed aside as she was captured. The workers tried to stop them, but they were all cut down without much of a fight.

_I can't... let them... do this..._

Hugh noticed York's gun lying on the ground nearby, and slowly dragged himself over to it. His vision blurring, he gripped the handle and racked the slide, chambering the one remaining round. Slate, hearing the noise, turned to face him, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Eat this, ya bastard…!" Hugh fired the gun, blasting wyvernfire at the silver haired man! The shot was thrown off to the side though, and Hugh only managed to engulf Slate's left arm, but the injury still caused him to shout in extreme pain as the flames seared through his armor, incinerating the entire arm of his suit and badly burning the flesh beneath!

Slate stormed over to Hugh and kicked the gun out of his hand before grabbing him by the throat and lifting him into the air with his one good arm. "Bro, that wasn't a smart move." Slate threw Hugh onto the ground, and moved to stomp on him, but stopped when he saw Karah lying on the ground. A devious grin crossed his face as he walked over to her unconscious body and knelt down next to her. After a moment, he lifted her over his shoulder with a triumphant grin.

He turned to Hugh and let out a short, victorious laugh.

"Sorry bro, but you _lost_!" That was the last thing he heard before blacking out.

* * *

_...I won't lie, shit has basically hit the fan here. I'll bet you all thought 'victory' meant the good guys would win; unfortunately, that wasn't the case this time around. But, they put up a fight at least... wait, didn't I say there would be more chapters? Maybe they haven't lost just yet! I know one way to find out; keep reading! _


End file.
